


Uncharted Territory

by dracoqueen22



Series: Flights of Fancy [5]
Category: Transformers - All Media Types
Genre: Flights of fancy, Harpyformers, Human/Harpy Sexual Content, M/M, Other
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-06-27
Updated: 2019-12-30
Packaged: 2020-05-20 11:50:29
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 28
Words: 147,207
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19376134
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/dracoqueen22/pseuds/dracoqueen22
Summary: There were a lot of things Blurr knew with great certainty: his path, his future, his happiness. Then Starscream swooped into his life and turned everything upside down in the best possible way.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> At long last, here we are, the story that originally started it all, and this here being the first arc. Please enjoy!

The life of a renowned college-level sprinter was not a glamorous one.   
  
It was a lot of work. A lot of running. A lot of proving oneself over and over again.   
  
Blurr, fortunately, didn’t mind the latter two. It was the first one which gave him a struggle. Having to work, when so many of his peers could go home or simply write to their parents for more money, was kind of a drag. He’d much rather be out having fun, making friends, creating memories.   
  
Instead, he spent his summers working, when he wasn’t training anyway. And every year, from the moment he’d moved onto campus, Blurr switched to a different part-time job. It wasn’t that the others wouldn’t hire him back, but that Blurr was easily bored with things he didn’t give a rip about, so he needed the variety. Otherwise he’d go mad.   
  
After high school, and before he’d been summarily packed up and shipped away from home, Blurr worked in a grocery store. He’d cycled through the various departments by the end of the three-month stint, and discovered retail was definitely not for him. Persons were good in small doses, people not so much.   
  
Before his sophomore year, he worked as a server at a local family-owned restaurant. The one with a ten-page menu because it served a little bit of everything, and had existed as long as Kaon had, and every table had a story carved into the food-stained wood. Heart’s was famous for its hamburger steak and tea so sweet it counted as syrup, in Blurr’s opinion.   
  
The summer prior to his junior year, Blurr worked for a moving company and spent two and a half months hauling boxes, furniture, and the strangest odds and ends. He called it strength training when Coach complained, and walked away with a greater appreciation for people who could do that sort of thing without complaint for the rest of their working life.   
  
This summer, Blurr decided he had enough of whiny customers and staining his clothes with sweat and questionable things. He ended up at an archive, in the rare books section, sneezing as he sorted and cataloged and painstakingly added each book to the newly installed digital system. He’d arranged it before his junior year ended, snapping up the opportunity before anyone else could get their hands on it. It was boring and tedious, but no one bothered him and the pay helped him build a nice nest egg for his last school year.   
  
He started each shift with a list of what books needed to be compiled, and they left him alone. He’d never admit that every once in a while, he took a nap. He ate lunch in a small alcove, ankles crossed on the railing and chair tipped back, the sound of his chewing abnormally loud in the silence.   
  
It wasn’t a bad job.   
  
He tended to spend entire shifts alone, crouched over the ancient computer struggling to run the new software, plucking out each letter and number carefully, squinting at the tiny text. When focused, he blocked out all else. It was a pain in the ass to fix mistakes.   
  
Someone tapped him on the shoulder.   
  
Blurr would never admit to the unmanly shriek he loosed as he whipped around, nearly toppling from the creaky stool he’d dragged up here to save his ass from the hard wooden chairs.   
  
Behind him, there was a crash and a wark of surprise. Blue and red blurred in his peripheral vision. Said wooden chairs toppled in multiple directions.   
  
Silence descended.   
  
“Ow.”   
  
Blurr’s heart hammered a mile a minute. He leapt up and vaulted over a toppled chair to find Starscream, sprawled on his back on the floor, one feathered leg tangled in another chair. He blinked owlishly up at the ceiling before he sucked air through his teeth.   
  
“Starscream?” Blurr ran a hand over his head. “What are you doing here?”   
  
“Looking for you,” the harpy bit out. He dragged himself upright, visibly wincing as he did so, and shaking the chair free of a taloned foot. “You told me you worked here, remember?”   
  
Blurr did. But that didn’t mean he expected Starscream would show up here. He’d thought once the semester was over, Starscream would find something or someone of more interest, or he’d go back to his aerie, having satisfied his curiosities.   
  
Apparently not.   
  
“I remember,” Blurr said. "I'm just surprised you remember is all." He squinted as Starscream's feathers rose in a startled fluff around his body. "You okay?"  
  
Starscream sighed and tried to smooth down his feathers. "Nothing broken but my dignity." He smiled and brushed at his chest feathers.  
  
"Good. That's good." Blurr righted the chair which had vexed Starscream, scooting it back under a table burdened by the stacks of books that were Blurr's task for the week. "So, uh, nice to see you again. Here. In a library."  
  
"I like libraries," Starscream said. He looked up, as if taking in the narrow ceilings and the water-stains and the drooping tile that looked a few seconds from caving in. "Though this one has a lot less window than I'm used to."  
  
Blurr nodded and slid back, plopping down on his stool. "Yeah, this is a department archive. Not really a library. It’s more like a storage place for everything people think is important, but can't be bothered to archive properly."  
  
Starscream cocked his head to the side. Blurr had a friend in high school who had a pet cockatiel, and the resemblance was uncanny. "If it's important, it should be cared for better," he said, and wrinkled his nose. "It smells of rot and must down here."  
  
"Yes, it does." Blurr laughed. He spun around, clicked save on his spreadsheet, and hit a few quick keys to shift the computer into sleep. "And it's time for my break anyway. So we can get out of here for a bit, if you want."   
  
It wasn't really time for his break, but there wasn't anyone around to tell him otherwise. Honestly, this was probably the best job Blurr ever had.  
  
Bright amber-red eyes shifted back to Blurr, and they lit up with guarded interest. "Can I come back and look at the books?"  
  
"I dunno." Blurr scratched his jaw and stared pointedly at Starscream's talons. "They're really old. Some of these are falling apart."  
  
There was no other word to describe the droop of Starscream's crest feathers but 'disappointed'. He tucked his hands behind his back. "I understand." His tail made a quiet swish across the floor.  
  
Guilt clogged up Blurr's throat. He sighed. "I have some scans I've done already. You can look at those," he tentatively offered.  
  
Starscream perked up like a flower after a spring rain. "Thank you!"  
  
Primus, harpies had no right to be so adorable. Blurr palmed his face and stood once again, gesturing for Starscream to follow him. "Come on. Let's take a walk first. I need some fresh air." Clearly, because the musty books could be the only explanation for Blurr’s behavior.   
  
Starscream's nose wrinkled. He scratched the side of it. "There is something of an odor down here," he said, as if he was choosing his words carefully to try and not offend.  
  
Blurr laughed. "It reeks, I know. You don't have to be polite about it. They aren't my books." He left his jacket on the back of the chair and patted his pocket to make sure he had phone and wallet. "Okay. Let's go."  
  
He led Starscream up the narrow, spiral staircase, wobbly as it was since it was constructed of metal and had no weight to it. He didn't know how he missed Starscream's arrival, given how much the stair creaked and clattered when you put a foot on it. Had he been that focused? Or had he been half-asleep?   
  
They climbed two floors, passing through collections of old textbook editions as well, before they ended up on the ground floor, the room little more than a closet with a door opening into the main hallway. Mid-afternoon in the summer? The corridor was deserted. Down the hall, the stench of tilewax stripper floated toward them, and Blurr gagged. He hated that smell.  
  
He turned the other direction. They'd go out the back.  
  
"What is that?" Starscream asked as he craned his neck to look behind him, one hand shielding his nose.  
  
"They strip and polish the floors before the new semesters," Blurr answered. "It's awful, and now that smell is going to linger for days." He shoved through the double doors, the heat of the afternoon smacking him in the face, carrying with it the much better smell of freshly mown grass and recently laid mulch.  
  
Starscream made a disgusted noise. "It's foul."  
  
"Yep."  
  
It was hot outside, hot and sticky, like all summers in Kaon tended to be. Blurr stripped off layers as he went, shoving them into his bookbag. The archives were, of course, freezing from the air conditioning, and he had to dress to accommodate that. But outside? Tees and shorts were the only way to survive. Sandals, too. The slap-slap of them on the pavement was a weird cadence next to the clickity-click of Starscream’s talons.  
  
Blurr pushed his hair off his forehead and out of his eyes. "So, why'd you come to the university today? I mean, it can't just be to see me."  
  
Starscream strode beside him, hands tucked behind his back. He cocked his head again. "Can't it? Why not?"  
  
"Uh, because it’s summer, and there’s gotta be way more interesting things than me around here." Blurr nibbled on his bottom lip. His face was hot, and he blamed the glaring sun.   
  
"Well, that's a matter of opinion probably." Starscream rolled his shoulders, feathers fluffing. "But should I not? I mean, am I bother?"  
  
"I didn't say that. I just..." Blurr tugged on the front of his shirt, trying to encourage some airflow over the sweat slicking his chest. "I'm pretty boring, you know. Besides, isn't there anything else you want to do in Kaon?"  
  
Starscream's tail flicked. "It's a school, right? I want to learn."  
  
"Like what?"  
  
"Everything." Starscream's eyes got big and dreamy. He looked around them as if everything was new and fascinating, and Blurr supposed if he were a harpy who'd never been anywhere with humans, it would all be fascinating to him, too.  
  
Blurr chuckled. “Well, I don’t know about everything, but I know a few things.” He tugged on his shirt again and shielded his eyes with the other hand, squinting in the midafternoon sun. His stomach grumbled. “How about a snack? Some good old-fashioned human food?”   
  
A sound not unlike a warble echoed from Starscream. “I like food,” he said, and his tail swished again, a longer feather tickling the back of Blurr’s calf. “What kind of food?”   
  
Blurr debated.   
  
They were on the outskirts of the university at the moment, walking the long sidewalk ring that circled the entirety of the campus. A block ahead was a row of small shops, mostly family-owned, half of which were closed for the season. But one of them had an overhang that rustled in the barely present wind, plastic imitations of grass skirts giving an audible rustle.   
  
Blurr’s mouth watered. “Shaved ice,” he said.   
  
Starscream blinked at him. “That’s food?”   
  
“Not really.” Blurr laughed and picked up the pace. Starscream, with his unfairly long legs, should have no problem keeping up. “It’s cold, flavored water, but it’s sweet and crunchy and perfect for this kind of day.”   
  
He tilted his head back. The sky was bright blue and cloudless. What he wouldn’t give for a summer storm right about now. They needed something to break the humidity.   
  
Practice tomorrow was going to be miserable. At least Blurr wouldn’t be the only one complaining about it.   
  
“I like water.” Starscream tapped the pad of one finger against his bottom lip. “I do not like the cold.”   
  
Blurr checked the road, saw no oncoming vehicles, and grabbed Starscream’s hand. “It’s an experience,” he said. “Now come on. Quick.”   
  
He broke into a jog, heard Starscream emit another one of those weird “wark!” noises, and then the harpy stumbled along after him. They were jaywalking like whoa, but campus police couldn’t write tickets, and there wasn’t an actual cop in sight. Thank Primus the road was only two lanes, because Starscream was slow on the uptake.   
  
“Why did we have to run?” Starscream asked, nearly tripping on the curb as Blurr pulled him up onto the sidewalk.   
  
“Cars are dangerous, and you don’t want to get hit by one.” Blurr wiped another bead of sweat from his brow. He could feel more trickling down his spine. “Consider that a lesson in humans.”   
  
“Maybe next time, a little warning.” Starscream frowned and peered at his feet, lifting up one to look at the underside. He scowled, and flicked at a rock embedded in the sole, plucking it out with a talon.   
  
Blurr still had his fingers wrapped around Starscream’s other wrist. Oops. He let go, and dusted off his hands.   
  
“I’ll remember that. Promise.” He shielded his eyes again and looked ahead. There wasn’t even a line.   
  
He patted his pockets, double-checking for wallet and phone, then made a beeline for the shaved ice. Starscream muttered something behind him – a weird amalgam of clicks and whistles – before he followed.   
  
Blurr approached the counter, leaning against it to peer up at the menu behind the glass and up on the wall. They had over three dozen flavors, and it was always hard for him to decide which one he wanted most. Starscream ducked down to join him, and then stayed hunched when his head knocked into a dangling light, setting it to swinging.  
  
"Hi! What can I get for-- uhhhh." George, according to his name tag, met them at the window and then trailed off when he spotted Starscream. "Nice costume, man. It's a bit hot, and a bit early, but the detail is on point." He gave Starscream two thumbs up.  
  
Starscream blinked. "What in Adaptus' name are you talking about?"  
  
"He's a harpy," Blurr said with a sigh. "Can we get a couple shaved ices, please?"  
  
George's eyes widened. "A real one?" He leaned forward, peering harder through the glass, looking Starscream up and down. "Wow. I've never seen one alive before." He paused before flushing a deep red. "I mean, not that I've seen any dead ones either. Just, you know, blurry pictures in a textbook or a magazine or--"  
  
"Shaved ice," Blurr said, a bit loud. He didn't like the way George kept staring at Starscream. "You sell those, don't you?"  
  
Starscream chuckled. "It's okay. I'm not bothered," he said, and of all things, started to preen. His feathers fluttered around his body. "Would you like to take a picture?"  
  
George was already fumbling in his pants pocket. "I mean, if it's no bother or anything..." He paused and slanted a look at Blurr who was trying not to fume. "Your treats can be on the house?"  
  
Blurr shrugged. It was up to Starscream if he wanted his picture taken or not. Which apparently, he did, because George came through the employee door, cell phone in hand, a look of glee on his face. Starscream stepped out from the overhang for better light, and his feathers took on something of an opalescent sheen in the direct sunlight. Blurr had to admit, from a purely aesthetic perspective, Starscream was quite beautiful.  
  
At least it gave Blurr plenty of time to choose what flavor he wanted. When George finally returned behind the counter, grinning ear from ear, Blurr's annoyance had yet to fade.  
  
"So what would you like?" George asked as he snapped on some sterile serving gloves. He was flushed, beads of sweat gathering under the brim of his employee visor. Ugh.  
  
Blurr fluffed his shirt and shifted from foot to foot. Inaction irritated him the most. "Bahama Mama for me," he said and looked up at Starscream. "What kind of flavor do you think you want?"  
  
"Hmmmm." Starscream's tail flicked from side to side. He tapped his bottom lip as he peered at the menu before flashing George a smile. "I have no idea. What do you suggest, my new human friend?" His eyes sparkled. "Something sweet."  
  
"Tutti Fruitti it is. Just a moment." George's grin brightened even further before he turned to assemble their desserts.  
  
Starscream beamed down at Blurr. "I didn't realize humans were so nice," he said. "Your Coach Sylvester still gives me the stink eye whenever I come by."  
  
"That's Coach Sylvester and you did kind of interrupt my race," Blurr said with a little laugh. "She's a bit protective of me, but it's okay. I still qualified, and I won the invitational so she can't complain too much."  
  
"Maybe that means I am good luck," Starscream suggested. He paused, shifting in place, and on a human, Blurr would think he was nervous. "It’s still all right for me to come watch you, right?"  
  
"Sure, but won’t you be bored? We’re just running in circles or back and forth all day." It was rare for Blurr to participate in relays, really only when they were short on runners or had a weakness. He mostly went for the dashes, that was where he shone.  
  
Starscream nodded, a quick bob of his head that was very bird-like. "Harpies have sports, too, though they are very different." He lifted up each foot pointedly and gestured to his talons. "We are not so much for running."  
  
"Do you have races where you fly?" Blurr asked.  
  
"Of course." Starscream preened again, head tossing back, feathers unfurling from his crown. "I am one of the fastest smols in my Aerie. Well, of my birth flock at least. I do not know about my current flock."  
  
Interesting.  
  
"I'd love to see that." Blurr could well imagine it, harpies of all sorts of colors, streaking across the sky like colorful airplanes. He was kind of jealous. What would it be like to fly?  
  
"Maybe someday I can show you," Starscream said.  
  
Blurr smiled. "I'd like that."  
  
"Here you are!" George appeared in the window, plunking two large cups down on the counter, spoon and straw poking jauntily from a mound of colored ice. He'd given them the large size, which was far more sugar than either Blurr or Starscream needed. "Compliments of the house. Or straw hut. Whatever you want to call us."  
  
Starscream’s eyes went wide. He took the cup, carefully cradling it with the pads of his fingers. “Thank you.”   
  
“My pleasure.”   
  
Blurr grabbed his cup and turned away, relieved when Starscream followed suit, and they ducked out from the overhang, back into the bright sunlight of the afternoon. He took a huge bite of his own colorful mound and grinned around a mouthful of coconut and pineapple, cold and crunchy against his teeth. That really hit the spot.   
  
He licked his lips and glanced at Starscream, who was watching him with a tilt to his head.   
  
“You just bite it?” he asked.   
  
“Or use the spoon,” Blurr said with a laugh. “I’m just impolite.”  
  
Starscream hummed. He peered at the colorfully striped mound of ice before he shrugged and took a big bite of it, even bigger than Blurr had, enough to completely remove the entire top layer. The loud  _cruuunch!_  of the ice echoed around them and Starscream chewed, head tilting the other direction, tailfeathers swishing the sidewalk.   
  
“Good?” Blurr asked as he pulled out his spoon and started to eat the rest of his, grabbing a huge scoop of the orange first.   
  
“Sweet,” Starscream mumbled around his mouthful. “And cold.” He visibly swallowed and peered at the cup. “The description said this flavor was made of berries and fruit, but I can’t taste either.”   
  
Blurr laughed. “That’s the joy of being human. I don’t think anything we eat is genuine anymore.” He took a huge bite of his.   
  
Starscream, he noticed, didn’t seem all that interested in his own cup now. He frowned, tilting it this way and that, making the colors run together. “It’s interesting,” he said as he fiddled with both straw and spoon.   
  
“You don’t have to eat it if you don’t like it,” Blurr said, because Starscream was acting like picky eaters everywhere, playing with it and contemplating it, while trying to psych himself up to consume it. “There’s a trash can right there.”   
  
Starscream followed his gesture. He peered at the receptacle for a moment before dumping the cup inside, where it landed with a loud  _thunk_.   
  
“I apologize,” he said as he returned. “I don’t think that was to my tastes.”   
  
Blurr shrugged. “I’m not offended.” He shoved a scoop of cherry into his mouth. “At least you tried it.”   
  
“True.” Starscream bobbed on his heels. “It’s the first thing you’ve shown me I didn’t like.”  
  
Blurr squinted and pointed at him with a spoon. “I distinctly remember you not liking the pickle.”   
  
“It was too sour!”   
  
“Exactly.” Blurr laughed. “There will be other things, too. But don’t worry, I’m sure there are things you eat that I’d turn my nose up over.”   
  
Starscream’s head tilted, cocked in that odd bird-like manner he sometimes had. “Maybe. Our diets are limited in comparison. So maybe not. We’ll have to see.”   
  
Blurr hummed thoughtfully and shoved a bite of the pineapple into his mouth, teeth crunching on the ice. “It’s only fair, right? You see my home, and then eventually, you show me yours.”   
  
“You’d actually want to?” Starscream asked.   
  
“Yeah, of course. Why wouldn’t I?” Blurr stirred the shaved ice a little. “I mean, I’m not a scholar or anything, but you’re my friend, and that’s what friends do. They learn more about each other.”   
  
Starscream beamed. On a human, it would have been stunning. For a harpy, it was a bit disconcerting, taking into account the sharp and overlarge teeth. But then his feathers fluffed, and his tail swished, and it veered right back into charming.   
  
“Good. I’m glad. Thank you.” He bobbed in place then pointedly smacked his lips. “I’ll leave you to your work then. But come back again… soon?”   
  
“Sure.”   
  
“Thanks for the shaved ice. It was an experience,” Starscream looked as if he’d had to search for the last word, to find something that wasn’t insulting. “Farewell.”   
  
Blurr swallowed a laugh. “Later, Starscream.”   
  
He stepped back, and just in time, too. Because Starscream stretched out his arms, unfurling the full length of his wings, crouched, and launched into the air with a whoosh of sticky-hot wind. Envy crept into Blurr’s belly as he watched Starscream take to the sky, the bright blues and reds of his feathers seeming to glimmer in the sunlight.   
  
A bell jingled as George rushed out of the hut, phone raised, eagerly snapping photo or video of Starscream in flight. Blurr supposed he couldn’t blame him.   
  
It really was a gorgeous sight.   
  
Blurr begrudgingly went back to work.   
  
He didn’t expect to actually see Starscream again. He figured the harpy was being polite or would be distracted by something or someone far more interesting. But for the rest of his summer vacation, Starscream showed up every Wednesday in the middle of his workshift without fail.   
  
Blurr took that as his cue to take a break.   
  
Over time, he introduced Starscream to tacos from the taco truck, and learned that Starscream did not eat meat at all, but he liked the crunch of corn shells, and could apparently eat sour cream as if it were its own food group. He brought Starscream to visit the local fruit stand, and Blurr’s pockets were emptied of cash as he walked away with a basket of various fruits, and Starscream ended up with a woven bag of his own.   
  
Starscream made a new friend that day, unsurprisingly. Traci had been as delighted to meet a harpy as George had been, and she’d insisted on taking a selfie with Starscream, and they’d chatted about different types of berries until Blurr finished off a whole pint of blackberries while waiting.   
  
He paid for those many blackberries later. But that’s a different, unpleasant story.   
  
Once, when a storm broke and Starscream showed up dripping and miserable, they stayed in the archives for lunch, Blurr sharing with Starscream the cheap, tasty alternative to a healthy lunch in the form of two cups of noodles, steaming hot from the microwave. He’d given Starscream the vegetable flavor, kept the shrimp for himself, and laughed as Starscream dumped the broth out and rinsed the noodles with hot water before he ate them.   
  
“Why is everything so salty?” he’d asked with a grump that should not have been so adorable.   
  
“We’re trying our best to kill our taste buds,” Blurr’d said with a laugh.   
  
Starscream had wrinkled his nose and stolen the rest of Blurr’s yogurt. He found he liked the kind with the fruit on the bottom the best.   
  
It was probably the most entertaining work summer Blurr had ever had. When the job came to a close, he was almost sad to receive his last paycheck. If he’d had the time to keep it up during the school year, he would. But with classes and practice, he didn’t.   
  
So he bid adieu to two classrooms still full of old books that needed cataloging and started to prepare for the beginning of the fall semester.   
  
It didn’t occur to him, until the shadow passed by overhead a few days later, that Starscream would keep up their weekly meeting. He realized he probably should have informed the harpy of his plans when Starscream swooped down in front of him, looking flustered and maybe a little worried.   
  
“You weren’t at the archives,” he said, his feathers fluffing, no matter how much he tried to smooth them down.   
  
Blurr scratched the back of his neck. “Sorry. I forgot to tell you that was my last week working.” He gestured over his shoulder. “I’ve got training every day this week, and I’m prepping for the new semester.”   
  
“Oh.” Starscream’s shoulders sank a little. “You are busy then.”   
  
“Not at the moment.” Blurr gestured for Starscream to join him, and the harpy fell in step beside him. “I’m heading back to my dorm to shower and change. We could watch a movie and order in lunch, if you want.”   
  
Starscream peered at him. “A movie? And what kind of lunch?”   
  
“I haven’t introduced you to pizza yet.” Blurr’s stomach grumbled. He adjusted the swing of his backpack. “You know what movies are, don’t you?”   
  
Starscream waved him off. “Yes, I’ve watched movies. Dr. Morgan lets me watch any of her materials any time I want.”   
  
Dr. Morgan. Blurr chewed on the name. It sounded familiar. Wasn’t she the head of the Avian Studies department? Not just head, but founder of the entire Avian Studies major and minor program. Blurr had done a little research on his own, when Starscream had flown into his life, so he knew Kaon was a haven to the Kaon Aerie, and it was largely in part to Dr. Morgan’s efforts, plus the assistance of a harpy named Perceptor.   
  
“Okay, but my movies are not at all educational. They’re for fun,” Blurr said with a laugh. Primus, what was even appropriate for a harpy to watch?   
  
“I can have fun, too,” Starscream said, indignant.   
  
“Well, then let’s go.”   
  
Fortunately, Starscream had not caught him far from his dorm. Blurr had gotten lucky enough to snag a room near the practice track and field. He wasn’t sure how Starscream had spotted him, but couldn’t help imagining the harpy flying over Kaon, searching for him. It couldn’t have been too hard. Freshmen and returning students wouldn’t start trickling in until the end of the week.   
  
Move in day was going to be hell. Blurr planned on hiding in his room, with a pair of headphones, and attaching himself to his game system.   
  
Starscream balked at the elevator. “It’s safe?” he asked as he peered down the gap between the elevator and the floor. To be fair, last time they’d taken the stairs.   
  
“As safe as it can be,” Blurr said. “We could take the stairs again?” He eyed the weight limit posted on the inside. Was it rude to ask a harpy how much they weighed?   
  
Starscream sighed and gingerly stepped inside. The elevator creaked, but didn’t honk at them, so that was good news. Blurr honestly was only two floors up. He just happened to be feeling lazy, his legs heavy and tingling from practice this morning.   
  
Blurr hit the button for the third floor before Starscream could change his mind, and watched with some amusement as the harpy backed against the wall, clutching the tiny railing.   
  
“It’s kind of weird, isn’t it?” Blurr asked.   
  
Starscream’s throat bobbed. “Disconcerting is a better word.” His eyes slanted to Blurr. “Might prefer the stairs next time.”   
  
“Deal.”   
  
The elevator bobbed as it deposited them on the third floor, and Starscream was out before the doors had a chance to fully open. Blurr’s pace was more leisurely. He guided Starscream down the hall, to the end, where he had point of pride in one of the few singles on the hall.   
  
“Welcome back to my humble home,” Blurr announced as he unlocked the door and pushed it open, relieved that he’d cleaned it before leaving this morning.   
  
It wasn’t much, admittedly. He had a bed with storage above it, a desk, and a wardrobe for his clothes with his TV perched on that. A small sink took up space near the entrance, and a closed door connected to the bathroom he shared with the room next door. He had a window, but the shades were drawn, and the walls were covered with posters and papers and various things he’d collected over the years.   
  
He’d never bothered applying for a different room. He’d kept this one since moving in freshmen year. It was home, as much as Blurr had one.   
  
“It’s still cozy,” Starscream said as he came inside, turning in a slow circle to take it in.   
  
Blurr chuckled and dropped his pack in his desk chair. “As much as it can be anyway.” He poked the TV on and the DVD player, causing the title screen for ‘The Princess Bride’ to come into view.   
  
Thank Primus Starscream had no idea what that was. Otherwise Blurr might have been embarrassed.  
  
“You should watch this one, it’s a classic,” Blurr said as he keyed it up to play. He turned and looked over his shoulder.   
  
Starscream was peering at his desk with obvious interest, staring at every item on it as though each required individual contemplation.   
  
“You still have a lot of things,” he observed.   
  
“Well, I’ve lived here a while. It adds up.” Blurr toed off his shoes, kicking them toward the door where they thumped under the sink. “I’m going to shower and then I’ll order the pizza. You can just, you know, make yourself at home or whatever.” He was not the least bit concerned about Starscream stealing from him.   
  
Starscream’s attention was stolen by the television as the opening strains of the music began to play. “All right,” he said.   
  
Blurr grinned and gathered up a change of clothes, vanishing into the bathroom. For now, the connecting room was empty of residents, but that would change by next week. He could enjoy his solitude for a little while yet.   
  
Well.   
  
His solitude plus one inquisitive harpy.   
  


**


	2. Chapter 2

The first time they met, Starscream nearly cost Blurr a spot on the team for the Spring Invitationals. He’d been in the midst of the qualifiers, on his last heat of the day, and for once, Blurr was actually trying to heed the advice of his coach. 

He lagged, comfortably in third, enough to qualify, but not enough to outshine his fellow runners. It went against every fiber of his being, but it was important to make a statement. Blurr would win, he would always win, but it wouldn’t be because he was going all out. He always had to save a little something. Just in case. 

When he ran, Blurr blocked out everything else. He focused on the rhythm of his feet, the rhythm of his breathing, the sun on his face and the top of his head, the sweat trickling down and pooling in the small of his back. He blocked out the sounds of the cheering crowd, Coach Sylvester yelling instructions. He even ignored the weird shadow overhead. 

He had one focus, one goal, and it was the finish line. 

By the time he realized the colorful mass planted squarely in the middle of his lane was real and not a heat mirage, it was too late to stop. Blurr barreled right into a feathery wall that smelled like blackberries. It bounced him back and knocked the breath out of him. Something grabbed his shoulders, keeping him from falling. 

Dazed, Blurr looked up into a pretty face. Smiling. Framed by feathers and stained pink and was that a beaked nose?

“Hi!” It chirped, and its eyes were a very bright red. Like cherries. But very human, too. 

Blurr blinked, his mind spinning. He was still in compete mode, and a part of him felt very much he was supposed to be running. “Hi…?”

Whistles shrieked, and Blurr winced. People yelled. Shoes stomped across the ground, while the world spun dizzily around Blurr. But the weight on his shoulders was warm, and the pretty bird kept smiling at him. 

Someone shouted his name. It was probably Coach. She had a bellow that could sound for miles. 

A crowd surrounded Blurr. Too many people pressed in on his personal space, and he instinctively shied away from them, but also closer to the birdman. Why? He wasn’t sure. 

He was snatched away, whirled into his coach’s clutches. Ms. Sylvester grabbed his bare shoulders with cold hands, her pale blue eyes inches from his own. 

“Blurr! Are. You. All. Right?” She gave him a little shake, like she was trying to rattle some sense into him. 

Blurr blinked out of his daze, sound and sensation rushing in on the tail end of a dull roar. “What? Yeah. I’m fine.” Why wouldn’t he be? He rubbed at his nose, the lingering scent of berries clinging to him. “What happened?” 

“You ran into an overgrown bird, that’s what!” Coach Sylvester gave him another shake, her face flushed with anger. 

“Oh.” He crinkled his brow and tried to look around, but there was a sea of people crowding them, and more whistles added to the din. “Did I win?” 

Coach Sylvester gave an allmighty sigh. “You didn’t finish, Blurr.” 

“Oh. That’s not good.” He felt disconnected from it all. There were jitters in his legs, in his knees, and he knew what the problem was. He hadn’t come down from his runner’s high properly. 

“No, it’s not.” Coach squeezed his shoulders and slid her hands free. “But lucky for you, they called interference. So the last heat isn’t going to count. That means you’re in.” 

“I am?” Blurr craned his neck. 

Interference. The colorful wall. Feathers. A harpy. Blurr had heard of the harpies. He knew the university was right next to an aerie. But he’d never actually seen one. He didn’t know they could be so big. 

Or so pretty. 

Feathers stuck out above the crowd. The harpy was surrounded by people, too, and they seemed to be shooing it away, further from where Blurr stood. Or swayed rather. Primus, he needed to sit down. Or get a drink of water. Or do his cool down stretches. 

A cold hand pressed to the back of Blurr’s forehead. “You sure you’re okay, speed racer?” 

“I’m fine.” Blurr frowned and nudged the hand away. “I’m just… I didn’t come out of the zone properly.” 

“Right. Your zone,” Coach Sylvester drawled and then sighed, dramatically pressing the back of her hand to her own forehead. “You’ll be the death of me some day, kid. I think you should see a doctor. Just in case.” 

In case of what? He’d collided with a harpy. He hadn’t hit the ground. He hadn’t tripped. 

“I’m  _fine_ ,” Blurr insisted, only to shiver when a gust of wind caught the sweat drying on his body. His legs ached. Everything ached. 

Coach Sylvester frowned. Her eyes narrowed. “Let me just make sure,” she said. “I can’t have my gold medal favorite suffering. Otherwise, one giant chicken is about to get plucked.” She twisted her head, glaring over her shoulder in the direction of the vanishing crown of red and blue feathers. 

Blurr scrunched his forehead. “Huh?” Sometimes, he swore his coach didn’t make sense. 

“Never mind. Let’s go.” Coach grabbed his elbow and started marching him off the track, her grip as unyielding as iron. “Becky! Keep an eye on the rest for me, will you? I gotta take Mr. Third Place here to the doc!” 

“Got it, Coach!” 

Becky, the assistant coach, tossed two thumbs up in their direction, grinning all the while. She whirled and started barking at the other runners. The relay race was going to start soon, and luckily, Blurr wasn’t a participant. He could, he just didn’t want to. He’d never been much of a team player. 

“And call me if anything happens!” Coach added over her shoulder, her grip more bruising than whatever colliding with the harpy had caused. 

“I know!” Becky rolled her eyes and brandished her clipboard at Mickey, who had a bad habit of getting lazy with her stretches and as a result, whining about sore muscles later. 

Coach pulled Blurr across the grass, the other half of the track, and under the bleachers into the locker rooms. She marched Blurr all the way through and out the other side without a moment’s pause. He barely had enough time to snag his jacket off the coat rack, one sleeve catching the hook and sending it clattering to the floor behind them. 

Coach didn’t pause. 

“I’m fine!” Blurr insisted. 

He didn’t dig in his heels. It was pointless. Coach was taller, stronger, and she held his life in her hands. Literally. She could make or break him, take away his scholarship or wheedle the sports board to give him more money. 

“What? You afraid of doctors or something?” 

“No. But--” 

“No buts.” Coach squeezed his wrist and gave him a high-browed look. “It’s my ass on the line if you’re broken.” 

Blurr sighed. 

At least he’d qualified. 

~

If that had been the end of it, they wouldn’t be where they were now. Blurr would have never seen Starscream again and vice versa. It would have just been a weird interaction he could pass off as a weird story to tell to his friends. 

But it wasn’t. The end of it, he meant. 

Blurr left the clinic with a clean bill of health and an updated tetanus vaccine. Coach Sylvester had insisted, after the doctor found two small punctures, one on each shoulder. They’d barely bled, and didn’t hurt, but the sight of them had Coach screeching about diseases and rabies and tetanus. 

Doctor Sykes had slapped a smiley band-aid over each puncture. He’d drawn the line at a rabies shot, thank Primus, but had bent in the face of Coach’s wrath when it came down to the tetanus booster. 

“There are absolutely zero recorded instances of a harpy carrying, displaying, or infecting any creature with rabies, much less a human,” he’d said. “Absolutely not.” 

Coach had all but breathed fire from her nose, and had put her foot down. She bristled like a woman who knew how to wield power. 

For a second, Blurr wondered if there was going to be a rumble, with him caught in the middle. 

In the end, Blurr walked out with a tetanus booster and discharge orders to rest, though Doctor Sykes had whispered the latter weren’t really necessary, but to please spare him the drama. Blurr nodded sagely and clasped the doctor’s hand. 

He narrowly escaped getting dropped off at his front door. Coach had worried her lower lip into almost bleeding. She’d probably had visions of gold medals rusting into silver, or worse, bronze. Thank Primus Blurr lived on campus and a five minute walk – downhill at that – from the clinic. 

It was late afternoon, and there was a slight chill in the air. The sky was heavy and darkening quickly, hinting to a rainstorm. Blurr shoved his hands in his jacket pocket and mourned the joggers he’d left in his locker. His bare legs prickled. 

On the sidewalk, he turned to the left. Behind him, the giant oak tree rustled. It was not a wind-related rustle, despite the wind picking up in speed and intensity. It was too deliberate for that. 

Blurr paused. He narrowed a look over his shoulder. A single, dark-blue feather fluttered to the ground. 

He hesitated for all of a moment before he turned and retrieved the feather. He picked it up, holding it by the base, spinning it around and around in his fingers. 

Leaves rustled again. Branches creaked. A large shape dropped out of the tree right in front of him. Fully feathered with bright red eyes and at least two heads taller than Blurr. It was a very familiar, very pretty face, especially if you ignored the beaked nose. 

It stared at Blurr. It was the same harpy from earlier. 

Blurr stared back. He shoved the feather into his pocket. “Are you stalking me?” he asked. 

“Kind of?” The harpy had a scratchy voice, like he’d smoked one too many cartons of cigarettes. “But only because I wanted to apologize. I’m sorry I messed up your race.” 

“The one you should really apologize to is my coach. She’s furious.” Blurr shoved his hands back in his pockets, hunching his shoulders to burrow into his coat. “Why’d you do that anyway?” 

The harpy ducked his head. “I was curious. I wanted to talk to you. And you weren’t winning anyway.” 

Blurr snorted. “Yeah. That was kind of the point.” He shifted his weight. Goosebumps rose on his bare legs. 

The harpy blinked. “What?” 

“It’s strategy.” Blurr put emphasis on the last word. He leaned forward. “Normally, I’m faster than everyone out there, but Coach says we shouldn’t let them know that yet. It makes the newbies more confident, and the slaggers overconfident.” 

“Mmm.” The harpy held his hands together, fingers tangled. “Complicated.” 

“Not really.” Blurr rocked on his heels. He wasn’t much for standing still, especially with that cutting breeze. “So what are you anyway?” 

The harpy reared back, head feathers tilted forward. “I’m a harpy.” He quirked a feathery eyebrow and gestured to his entire body.

Blurr rolled his eyes. “Duh. I meant, you know. Who are you? Most people call me Blurr.” 

“Because you run fast?” The harpy laughed, and it was a surprisingly human sound. Maybe even charming. “I’m Starscream.” 

Blurr smirked. “Oh, do you scream at the night sky then?” 

Starscream grinned, showing off pointed canines. Not as sharp as a dog’s but more than a human’s for sure. “No. It’s a rough translation. It’s more like ‘one who looks to the stars and dreams.’” 

“Ohhh. Poetic.” 

“Sometimes.” 

Blurr chewed on his bottom lip. He shifted his weight again, rubbing his now chilled legs together. The wind whipped his hair into his face, and the sky grew even more ominous. 

“Well, it’s nice to meet you and all that.” He took a small step backward. “Though maybe next time we do, it’s not in the middle of a race?” 

The sky rumbled, loud enough to rattle Blurr’s bones. He glanced up, saw flashes in the distance, and it was dark enough now it felt more dusk than late afternoon. Great. 

A fat raindrop chose that moment to splash on his forehead, sliding cold across his face. He needed to get home before he caught a cold. Or Coach might just kill him. He’d never hear the end of it. 

Starscream looked up as well. “Damn,” he muttered, and his head feathers flattened. He seemed to pull into himself, making him look smaller. 

“Can’t harpies fly in the rain?” Blurr asked. 

“We can. It’s just not fun or easy.” He flinched as the sky lit up with a jagged burst of lightning, too far to be outright dangerous, but close enough Blurr was uneasy, too. “And we make for an easy target up there.” 

Blurr chewed harder on his lip. 

“It looks like a fast-moving storm,” he said as he considered the way the clouds chased each other across the sky. “Probably only be a few hours long.” 

Starscream crossed his arms, and his feathers fell in a colorful curtain around him. “Yes, but an oak tree offers little protection.” 

Blurr scrubbed his fingers over his head, catching his nails against the tangle the wind made of his hair. “I meant, you know, harpies are allowed wherever they want here. Within reason. You could come into the Union and have some coffee or tea or cocoa or whatever harpies drink.” They could probably make sugar water. Hummingbirds liked that, right? So harpies probably did, too. 

Starscream cocked his head. “I’ve no way to pay. And while I don’t know much about humans, I’m rather sure they require some kind of currency.” 

Blurr’s face heated, which was a weird sensation considering the cold wind slapping at his skin. “I’ll pay,” he offered, with a twinge of annoyance. “Primus, you’re dense. I’m making an offer here.” 

“Why?” Starscream blinked. 

“Because I’m curious.” Another drop of rain landed on Blurr’s head, followed by a second and a third. The soft patter of those thick drops hitting the pavement were like marching orders. They needed to get their asses moving. 

“And you must be, too,” Blurr added. “Since I crashed right into you.” 

Starscream rubbed at his nose with a knuckle. He looked away, something embarrassed and guilty in the motion. “I’m sorry about that.” 

“So you’ve said. And I forgive you.” Blurr grinned and bobbed on his heels, stamping his feet to warm up his poor, unprotected legs. Running shorts were great for running, but not much else. “So. You want to get inside before we both get soaked?” 

Starscream grinned. “Sure. Only… what is coffee?” 

“Just the best stuff in the world, that’s all. Come on. I’ll show you.” Blurr turned and started walking, without waiting for Starscream to agree. He needed to get moving. 

More fat droplets landed on his head and shoulders. The pale grey of the sidewalk turned a darker, damp grey. 

Starscream joined him, falling into step beside Blurr with little problem. “Thank you,” he said. “I’m glad I picked you.” 

Blurr chuckled. “I’m glad you picked me, too.” 

~

They spent hours talking. Until it was too late for Starscream to fly home, and Blurr offered to share his dorm room. The storm didn’t pass quickly, and Blurr didn’t have the heart to send Starscream out into it. 

He slept on the floor; Starscream curled into a feathery lump on the bed, burrowed under Blurr’s blankets. In the morning, he devoured every piece of sad-looking fruit in Blurr’s bowl, and he left. 

Not because he wanted to, he claimed, but because he had to. Apparently, he hadn’t told anyone he was leaving, and they might worry about him. Or, worse, he’d find himself in trouble. 

He’d said the last with a little tremble to his lip, an uneasy flick of his feathers that made Blurr’s hackles raise. He bit down the urge to ask if someone was hurting Starscream, because that’s what it seemed like. 

He watched the harpy fly away into the damp morning, a blue and red blotch against a gray sky. Then he trudged back inside and got ready for a Monday of classes. 

It was during his midday break when Blurr got ambushed again, though this time the perpetrators were human, not feathery. They interrupted his lunch – a plate of pasta primavera topped with grilled steak, about the only pasta the cafeteria couldn’t mess up – by plopping down at his table, taking up the three empty seats. 

Two women and a man, the latter of whom Blurr recognized by reputation alone. 

“Hi!” greeted one of the women. She had jet-black hair done up in a pair of paintbrush pigtails, with streaks of pink running through them. “I don’t think we’ve met. I’m Miko!” She brandished a hand and smacked her gum. 

Her female companion dropped into the seat beside her, tilting over to knock against Miko’s side before she righted herself. “And I’m Sari,” she chimed in, her skin a smooth buttery brown and her hair in pigtails to match Miko’s, only without the color stripe 

“This is Richard.” Miko tossed a thumb at the red-haired man looming over the empty chair next to her. 

Richard didn’t smile. Which was a shame, because he’d be a handsome man, what with those pale freckles and his curly afro and his skin a few shades lighter than Sari’s. Sure he was tall, and a bit too gangly for Blurr’s taste, but he’d always had a thing for freckles. 

“Mostly we call him Red,” Sari said as she leaned against the table’s edge, elbows propped up against her body. “And not just on account of his hair.” 

All three peered at Blurr expectantly. 

He licked his lips to free them of sauce splatters. 

“Nice to meet you,” he said, because he’d been raised to be polite, even when he was bewildered. “Can I help you?” 

“Yeah, actually. You can.” Sari leaned further forward, her earrings jangling noisily. “Word on campus is--”

“Where is the harpy?” Richard demanded, droll enough to completely barrel right over Sari’s voice and cut through the conversation. 

Miko whapped the back of her hand against Richard’s shoulder, making an audible thump. “Red! That’s rude!” she scolded. 

Red didn’t flinch. He gave Miko a baleful look. 

Blurr blinked and poked at his pasta. “Back home, I assume,” he answered. He shouldn’t be so surprised that Starscream had quickly become something of a celebrity. 

Sari sat back in her chair, lower lip jutting out. “Awww. We’re too late.” There was a noise beneath the table, like she’d scuffed her feet against the floor. 

Blurr promptly forked a mouthful of pasta. He was hungry, darn it. And he only had so much time before he had to hoof it across campus for his math class. 

“Is he coming back?” Miko asked. 

_I’ll be back soon. Or as soon as I can anyway. I promise._  

Blurr didn’t know why, but the promise meant a lot to him. Part of him thought he’d never see Starscream again. 

“Yeah,” Blurr said. 

Sari’s eyes lit up. They were an amber brown – just a few shades lighter than Starscream’s red actually. “Did he say when?” 

“No.” 

It was Miko’s turn to pout. “You know, you’re not a lot of help.” 

Blurr made a noncommittal noise. It wasn’t like he’d offered to help. They’d bum-rushed him. He slanted a gaze at Red, who Blurr swore hadn’t blinked yet. He kept staring at Blurr, like a robot or something equally unnerving. 

“What?” Blurr asked around a mouthful of seared steak. 

Red finally blinked. “What interest does the harpy have in you?” he asked, each word carefully selected like an AI had to do it for him. 

Blurr shrugged. “No clue.” He flicked a pea out of the pasta. It went skittering across the table, toward Sari, who made a face and nudged it away from her. It tumbled over the edge of the table and onto the floor. 

“Do you think he’d talk to us?” Miko asked. 

“Probably. He likes attention.” Or at least it seemed that way. Starscream didn’t appear to mind all the stares he attracted or the people who came up to him wanting a picture. 

Everything fascinated him. 

It was pretty adorable. 

“Yes!” Miko and Sari high-fived each other in unison. Earrings jangled. 

Red continued to look unamused. Blurr wasn’t sure he’d blinked again. There was something distinctly unsettling about him. Not in a “he’s going to kill me in my sleep way” but in a “he can peer right into my soul and find out my secrets” way. 

“See, we’re members of H.A.R.P,” Miko said as she leaned forward again, almost sprawled out over the table in her eagerness. Her teeth were very white. “And we’ve got the accounts from the other students, but no one’s interviewed a harpy directly since Perceptor and Drift and Shockwave moved out to the aerie. This could be a huge opportunity for us.” 

‘Huge’ was accompanied by her throwing her arms up into the air and falling dramatically back into her chair. Rickety legs creaked beneath her, screeching as they skidded across the floor. 

Sari laughed and poked her companion in the cheek. “So,” she said, dragging out the vowel as she looked at Blurr. “It would really help us out if you asked him.” 

Blurr licked sauce off his fork. “I’ll try. But I mean, it’s not like I have any control over him. We literally just met.” 

“Trying is all we ask for,” Sari said with a sage nod. She stood and whipped a business card out of nowhere, handing it over to him between two fingers. “Call us and let us know. If he shows up, if he’ll do the interview, anything. Or even if you feel like being interviewed, too, Mr. Fastest Man on Campus.” 

She grinned. Her teeth were really bright, too. 

Blurr took the card. 

Miko stood up, too. She held out a camera, which explained the thick strap around her neck. “Can I have a picture? You know, for archival sake?” She winked. 

Blurr arched an eyebrow. “Uh. Sure. I guess.” He was used to getting his picture taken at least. 

He wiped the back of his hand over his mouth, ran his tongue over his teeth to make sure there weren’t any unsightly parsley flakes, and grinned. He made a peace sign with his fingers, because he was a dork and people liked that kind of thing. 

The camera clicked, light blinded him, and then Sari and Miko scampered off, giggling to each other. They looked over their shoulders at him before they started whispering again. 

Blurr had a feeling it wouldn’t be the last time he’d see them. 

He went back to his lunch. He forked two spoonfuls of pasta into his mouth before he realized he wasn’t alone. They’d left Richard, Red, whoever behind. 

He slid into the seat Miko abandoned and stared at Blurr. And stared. Seriously, did the kid blink? 

“Yes?” Blurr made a point of looking around. “Did you forget something?” 

Richard noisily cleared his throat. “I want you to know that you can come to me,” he said in a grave tone. “If anything should happen. If you should feel threatened. If this harpy makes you uncomfortable--”

“Starscream,” Blurr corrected around a mouthful of pasta. He was hungry, damn it. 

Richard blinked. “What?” 

“His name’s Starscream.” Blurr chewed and swallowed. 

“I see.” Richard rested a single, well-manicured hand on the table. Four fingers rapped a rhythm on the surface. “As I was saying, should you have need of assistance, you can find me in the observatory.” 

“Like… all the time?” Blurr furrowed his brow. “Don’t you ever sleep?” 

Red’s eyebrow twitched. It was kind of funny. “I do, and yes, all the time. That is where I sleep.” 

The rumors were true then. Richard Argus was like the Hunchback of Kaon University. He was always around, hanging in the attics and the ceilings. And he was probably never going to leave. 

“Oh.” Blurr focused on his pasta. He’d already eaten his garlic bread and that was just a tragedy. “But uh, thanks, I guess. I’ll keep that in mind if I need a knight in shining armor.” 

Though honestly, after meeting Starscream, Blurr no longer believed in those terrible rumors a single bit. He was pretty sure Harpies didn’t eat children or try to swipe them from their parents. Starscream had been a little odd, sure, but he was friendly and polite and curious. Nothing to worry about. 

Blurr had worse  _human_  friends. 

“You are welcome.” Red rapped his fingers again and then pushed to his feet with stiff movements, like a robot who wasn’t used to being human. “I sincerely hope you don’t have reason to find me.” 

Blurr squinted. Was that because Richard hoped Starscream was nice and not a threat? Or was it because he found Blurr irritating? It was so difficult to tell. 

“Yeah,” he said, aiming for neutral. “Me, too.” 

Richard slow-blinked and then he was gone, striding through the cafeteria with quick, purposeful steps. Other students scuttled out of his way, some of them giggling and whispering to each other. 

It wasn’t the weirdest conversation Blurr ever had. That award went to yesterday’s marathon with Starscream. 

But it was pretty damn close. 

Blurr went back to his lunch, time ticking down toward his next class. This was the last time he’d get to have cafeteria food for the rest of the month. He intended to savor every last bite. 

~

Starscream did come back. 

Less than a week later, he waylaid Blurr on his morning run, intercepting him before he could make the ninety-degree turn to the outer ring of his route around campus. 

Blurr skidded to a halt, heart thudding in his chest, all so he wouldn’t collide again with the feathery wall in front of him. 

He bent over, heaving for breath, hands on his thighs. “Primus!” he gasped. “Where did you even come from?” 

“The aerie,” Starscream said. “Where else?” 

“That’s not what I meant.” Blurr groaned and straightened, dragging his hands through his sweat-soaked hair. “Welcome back, I guess. Did you get into trouble?” He still remembered Starscream’s face, drawn with fear. 

“Only a little.” Starscream grinned and tucked his hands behind his back. He leaned close, nose twitching, the scent of berries and peaches almost overwhelming. “Were you worried about me?” 

Blurr rolled his eyes. “Your little fan club has been pestering me. That’s all.” 

“Fan club?” Starscream cocked his head. 

“You know. H.A.R.P.” 

Starscream blinked. “I don’t know who you speak.” 

Blurr sighed and wiped sweat from his forehead. “They’re a group of students who are fascinated by the harpies. Not all of them are in Avian Studies though.” A car whooshed past them, the only one on the road this early in the morning. Blurr flinched and moved to the inner edge of the sidewalk. 

“Anyway, two – or maybe three, still not sure if Red is part of them – sort of accosted me in the cafeteria this week, begging me to score them an interview.” 

Starscream’s eyes widened with utter delight. “An interview with me?” 

“I’m not a harpy, am I?” 

“You’d make a gorgeous one, if you were,” Starscream purred as he cocked his head to the side. His gaze seemed to sweep over Blurr from head to toe. 

Heat sank into Blurr’s cheeks. He was pretty sure it wasn’t entirely from the exertion. He pushed his arms over his head, stretching as he rose up on his toes, easing the cramp that he knew was going to develop in his calves from the sudden stop. 

“Thanks.” Blurr swung his arms left to right. Starscream watched him with a stare not unlike Red’s for its intensity, though it was a lot friendlier. “So are you going to do it?” 

“Do what?” Starscream’s eyes jerked up to meet his. 

“The interview.” 

“Oh.” Starscream’s feathers ruffled. He looked up at the sky, nose twitching. “I suppose I can spare a few minutes if they really want to talk.” 

“Good. I’ll let them know.” And as soon as possible, too. So they’d stop pestering him. 

Blurr swung his arms down. He made a point to look around. There wasn’t much here. This sidewalk rimmed the entirety of campus, just like the road it ran parallel to. It was mostly next to trees and parking lots, and if Blurr had a car and felt like driving, he could take that road right out of the university and into the small town surrounding it. 

Plainly put, there was nothing out here that would interest a harpy. 

“So, uh, what are you doing here?” 

Starscream’s eyes brightened, from cherry red to strawberry pink. “Looking for you. To see you, of course. I told you I’d be back.”

Blurr lifted his left leg, grasped his ankle behind his back, stretching it toward his ass. “Okay, but… why me?” 

“You’re interesting.” Starscream bounced on his heels. Well, it was a little hop really, but it was fascinating to watch. 

Blurr dropped his left leg and switched to his right leg. “You decided that just by watching me run?” He hadn’t even been winning at the time. 

Starscream pressed his lips together and suddenly found the asphalt very fascinating. “Yes.” 

Was he embarrassed? It was kind of cute. Then again, Blurr supposed he couldn’t blame Starscream. If he’d never seen a human before, maybe he’d have found himself interesting, too. Maybe it was the blue in his hair? Coach was always getting onto him for being too flamboyant. 

“Oh.” Blurr scratched at his jaw. “I have to be at class in a bit so I can’t really hang out today. But if you want, I can give Miko and Sari a call and see if they want to do that interview.” 

“I suppose.” Starscream looked disappointed. Or at least, that’s what Blurr assumed the droopy feathers meant. “Maybe you can point me toward the library, too. What about later?” 

Blurr blinked. “Huh?” 

“After your classes. Are you busy then?” 

Blurr’s cheeks heated. “I, uh, have practice.” Coach Sylvester wanted to do short drills today, checking his actual speed since he was so lackadaisical for his meets. 

Her words, not his. 

Starscream leaned forward, his eyes brightening, his head feathers visibly fluffing up like a crown. “Can I watch?” 

Blurr thought about Coach’s reaction and winced. “Maybe not yet,” he said. Starscream’s feathers immediately started to flatten, and disappointment wafted off of him. Blurr hastily added, “But I’ll talk to my coach and make sure it’s okay for next time.” 

Starscream bounced on his feet, feathers swaying in the wind. “Fair enough. Are you free after practice?” 

Tenacious, wasn’t he? Then again, it wasn’t like there was anyone else out there vying for his time or attention. If he spent the evening alone, it would be in front of his TV with an old romantic comedy and a bowl of ramen. 

“It’ll be late,” he said. “Don’t you have a curfew?”

Starscream snorted and folded his arms, nose tilted upward in disgust. “Of course not. That was the one time and just because I’m new to Kaon. I know the rules now, and I told someone I’d be here.” 

“Then sure. We can hang out after practice.” Blurr looked around. Starscream seemed to be getting around on his own well enough. “Meet me outside my dorm about seven?” he suggested and then cringed. “Wait. Do you know how to tell time?”

Starscream rolled his eyes. “I do. And while I don’t wear a time-keeping device, there is a giant clock tower. I think I can manage.” 

Blurr shifted his weight, the morning breeze snatching at his bare legs. “Well, how am I supposed to know what you do and don’t know?” He huffed to hide his embarrassment and shifted around Starscream, forcing the harpy to turn and face him. “Anyway, I have to get going, or I’m gonna be late.” 

Starscream turned with him, his eyes following Blurr. “The library?” 

“Oh, right.” Blurr smirked. “Just find the clock tower. It’s the same building.” And with over four stories of books, videos, music and microfiche, there was plenty to keep Starscream entertained. As well as plenty of other humans who were no doubt eager to meet him. “I’ll let Sari and Miko know they can find you there.” 

“I appreciate it.” Starscream’s smile was soft, mostly hiding his sharp teeth. 

Blurr jogged in place a little. “Anytime,” he said, and he meant it, too. 

He gave Starscream a little wave and loped off, rerouting his path in his head so he’d be able to get back to his dorm in enough time to shower and change.

Life, for Blurr, was never quite the same after that. 

**

 


	3. Chapter 3

They waylaid him on the second day of the first week of the fall semester.   
  
Blurr stepped out of Machada Hall, shielding his eyes from an unrelenting sun, his thoughts twirling from the size of the paper he’d be expected to write for his historical economics class. He still didn’t know why he’d taken the class. He wondered if it might be better to drop it.   
  
The bushes rustled, and he swore to Primus, Sari and Miko leapt out of them like they were bullies scaring children on All Hallow’s Eve.   
  
“Blurr!” Miko waved wildly. Her camera swayed from the strap around her neck, lens cap millimeters from popping off.   
  
“We finally found you!” Sari said, nearly tripping over a visible root as she readjusted her bag strap.   
  
Blurr stopped and sighed. “Hello, ladies,” he greeted. “Welcome back to the university. How was your summer?”   
  
Miko rolled her eyes. “You don’t actually care. We both know that.”   
  
“Where’s Starscream?” Sari asked as she caught herself and trundled up beside her partner in crime. Her matching ponytails bobbed with the motion. “Is he still around?”   
  
“Well, he lives in Kaon now so I’m sure he’s still around. Whether or not he’s coming back to the university, I don’t know,” Blurr lied.   
  
Earlier attempts to meet with Starscream for an interview had failed. The day Blurr sent Starscream to the library, the women had been busy, and since then, they’d been chasing Starscream’s tailfeathers to try and get that interview.   
  
Starscream, meanwhile, had changed his mind about whether or not he was interested in the interview. Blurr wasn’t sure why, and suspected it might have had something to do with what the other harpies in the aerie had decided. So until Starscream made a decision, Blurr would continue to be the locked door between him and H.A.R.P.   
  
He was, in fact, meeting Starscream for lunch in a few minutes. It was all the time he had to spare today, and while they could have rescheduled, Wednesday was traditionally Starscream’s day. Plus, Blurr had no way of contacting him ahead of time.   
  
Miko and Sari exchanged a glance. Blurr peered at the bushes, but couldn’t see anyone else hiding in them. He didn’t know if Red or Richard or whatever he called himself was lurking around.   
  
“Could you ask him about the interview again?” Sari asked, clasping her hands together, fluttering her eyelashes at him.   
  
Blurr sighed. He checked his watch. If they delayed him too much, he’d miss the meeting with Starscream, and then Starscream would come looking for him no doubt, and then all of his H.A.R.P wrangling would be pointless.   
  
“I’ll ask him,” Blurr said. “But that doesn’t mean he’s going to say yes.”  
  
“Why wouldn’t he?” Miko asked. She swung her backpack off one shoulder and slipped it around, starting to dig around in the larger pocket. “I mean, who doesn’t want a feature article and a picture of themselves and--”  
  
“He likes attention,” Blurr interrupted as he impatiently shifted his weight. “But not that much, I don’t think. Besides, you two can be a bit much sometimes, you know?”   
  
Both women leaned back, hands to their chests, echoing a dramatic gasp. The huge smiles completely ruined the effect, however.   
  
“We have to admit,” Sari said.   
  
“It’s part of our charm,” Miko finished.   
  
Blurr wasn’t sure charm was the word he’d use.   
  
A shadow flicked by overhead.   
  
Blurr went still. He checked his watch again. Damn it. He’d run out of time. He didn’t want to look up, because he knew what he’d find, but he did it anyway.   
  
Starscream soared above, circling the courtyard in the middle of the small quad that housed several minor departments of the university, most of them specialized. In fact, the Avian Studies departmental office was just on the other side of the Founder’s Fountain, in the Uraya Building.   
  
Sari and Miko noticed the shadow as well. They looked up and squealed with excitement. Miko readied her camera.   
  
"There he is!" Sari pointed as though it was difficult to miss Starscream flying overhead. One hand dug into her backpack, probably for a pen and a notepad, or her phone.   
  
Blurr sighed.  
  
Starscream spotted him, as Blurr knew he would. It was easy enough to do. There was nothing in the quad to conceal Blurr, not like in others where large trees provided shade. A tingle licked up Blurr's spine when he caught Starscream's gaze and the harpy's bright, excited smile.  
  
He circled around and came back, landing with an acrobatic twist and fold of his wings near Blurr. "You were late," Starscream said by way of greeting. "I got worried."  
  
"Sorry. I was ambushed." Blurr tilted his head toward Sari and Miko, both of whom looked like they were barely withholding their glee as their attention pingponged between Blurr and Starscream.  
  
The harpy blinked as he came up to Blurr's side, one hand smoothing down his feathers. He glanced at the two ladies with evident curiosity. "Oh. Hello."  
  
"They're Sari and Miko," Blurr explained as he caught sight of a twig Starscream had missed in his preening and plucked it free, prompting a murmured thank you from the harpy. "I've told you about them."  
  
"Ah." Understanding dawned in amber eyes. "The humans who wanted the interview. I remember." He bobbed his head. "Nice to meet you."  
  
Miko whipped out a pen and notepad and tumbled them into Sari’s hands, just as Sari made a sound of disappointment with her bookbag search. "You're beautiful," she breathed, her eyes wide and excited, like she’d met a celebrity. "Can I take a picture? Please?"  
  
Starscream, predictably, preened, his crest feathers raising and spreading out in a pretty display. "Of course you can," he all but purred. "And thank you. In my community, I am what is known as a smol. As a rule, we can be quite attractive."  
  
"But you're one of the prettiest, I'll bet." Miko fiddled with the controls of her camera before lifting it up, and Blurr heard the telltale click of several shots being taken in quick succession.  
  
"Do you fly here to visit Blurr often?" Sari asked, pen hovering over her notepad, eyes squinted at Starscream with obvious intent. "How long of a flight is it? Do you find it tiring? Are you a fast flyer?"  
  
Starscream blinked.  
  
"Whoa." Blurr stepped between Starscream and the ladies, holding up his hands. "You're not doing an interview right now. And by the way, it sounds more like an interrogation. So chill."  
  
Starscream's hand rested on his shoulder as Starscream leaned over his other one. "It's all right. I don't blame them for their curiosity." His feathers tickled the side of Blurr's face. "If you'd like an interview, I think we can set one up. Only it's just right now, we're supposed to have lunch." He dropped his voice into a whisper and patted Blurr's shoulder again. "He gets cranky when he's hungry."  
  
A slow smile spread over Sari's lips. She exchanged another glance with Miko and they quietly giggled, a sight which set off alarm bells in Blurr's head.  
  
"That is not even what's going on here," Blurr muttered. He folded his arms over his chest. He half-turned his head, hoping to speak quiet enough only Starscream could hear him. "You told me you weren't interested in the interview."  
  
"Well, people change their minds all the time," Starscream said brightly. Blurr spotted the smug curve of his lips from his peripheral vision.  
  
 _Click! Flash!_  
  
Miko took another picture. Her grin was absolutely sharkish. "You two look good together," she said, her tone careful and light. "A good, hmm, contrast of colors." She clucked her tongue loudly.  
  
"Oh. Definitely." Sari nodded vigorously and held her pen poised above her notebook. "So about that interview? Can we set a date now?"  
  
"If you don't, they'll just ambush me again," Blurr sighed.  
  
"How about Friday?" Miko asked. She bobbed on her heels, ponytails bobbing with her.  
  
Starscream shifted a little. "Blurr has practice on Friday. I wanted to watch."  
  
"You can still watch," Miko was quick to say. "And then I can take pictures of Blurr, too. Since he's pretty famous." She winked. "Everyone wants to know more about Kaon's fastest man on campus."  
  
Primus, no.   
  
Blurr's been avoiding a tell-all interview from the moment he won his first race and earned something of a reputation. He'd turned down everyone who asked. He was willing to talk about his achievements, his athletics, his potential for the future. But when it came to personal matters, he kept his lips sealed. He didn't want anyone digging into his family or the details involving them or why he lived on campus year-round.  
  
Some things were better kept private.  
  
"No, thanks," said Blurr.  
  
Sari shrugged. "Suit yourself." She turned a beaming smile on Starscream. "What about you? Does it sound like an okay plan?"  
  
Starscream straightened and tapped his bottom lip with a finger. "I suppose so. But you have to bring me something, too."  
  
"Name it," Miko said.  
  
Blurr groaned. He knew what Starscream was going to ask for before the word even left his mouth.  
  
"Cinnamon rolls," Starscream declared. "They're my favorite."  
  
Miko gigged. "Sure thing. Whatever you want."  
  
"And espresso!" Starscream declared.  
  
"No." Blurr shook his head, giving them both a glare. "Not on a Friday afternoon at least." Never, never again. He'd never known harpies could behave like excitable puppies until the morning Blurr had indulged in a cappuccino and shared it with Starscream.  
  
"Fair enough," Sari said. She stuck her hand out toward Starscream. "It's a date. Friday. During track practice. With cinnamon rolls and coffee." She winked.  
  
Blurr sighed.  
  
Starscream shook on it. The deal was struck. The ladies said their goodbyes and wandered off together, heads close as they giggled and looked over the pictures Miko had taken. A sense of impending doom sat on Blurr's shoulders like a heavy gargoyle.  
  
"They seem nice," Starscream said as he watched them go.  
  
Blurr snorted. "They're fine in small doses. I don't pity you the hour long interview they're going to want."  
  
Starscream shrugged and tucked his hands behind his back. "Well, it's as much part of why I'm here as anything else. The more humans know about us, the less misconceptions they have, and the better relationship we build."  
  
"Oh. That makes sense." Blurr's stomach chose that moment to grumble loudly. Considering he'd skipped breakfast this morning because he'd overslept, this was no surprise. Still, his face reddened.  
  
Starscream grinned. "We should get you lunch now. You were starting to get a bit grumpy."  
  
"I absolutely was not."  
  
"You very much were." Starscream laughed and gently nudged him with an elbow, careful not to topple Blurr over as he had once before. “So what’s for lunch?”   
  
Blurr started toward the archway, with Starscream falling in step beside him, matching his pace to Blurr’s as he so often did. “Taco truck?” he suggested, mostly kidding.   
  
He just wanted to watch Starscream’s face scrunch up with distaste. It was a sight that should not have been so adorable.   
  
“That food is cursed,” Starscream said, his nose twitching as he cringed. “Can’t we have sandwiches instead? I liked those.”   
  
And the chocolate chip cookies he could get alongside them, Blurr was sure. Starscream had something of a sweet tooth, and he always gravitated to the sweetest item on the menu no matter what new place Blurr introduced him to.   
  
“Sandwiches it is,” Blurr said.   
  
Starscream’s grin, wide and beaming, made it all worth it.   
  


~

  
  
Blurr absolutely was not jealous. He didn't have an explanation for why he couldn't focus during practice, or why his eyes kept wandering toward the stands where Starscream was surrounded by a small army of admirers, but it didn't have anything to do with jealousy. Not one bit.  
  
Miko and Sari got their interview. Starscream got his cinnamon rolls and a chai tea -- they'd wisely not brought him coffee -- and Blurr had nothing to be jealous about.  
  
He was, however, definitely distracted. And Coach Sylvester let him know, loudly, in a series of angry, berating remarks.  
  
"What the fuck’s the matter with you?" she demanded as she wrote down yet another timed sprint, and it was the worst he'd had all day, which was saying much. "I haven't seen numbers these low since you caught that cold your freshman year."  
  
Blurr wiped at his forehead with a towel. "I dunno. Just can't seem to get in the right headspace, I guess."  
  
Coach's eyes narrowed. "Why? You feeling okay?" She reached for him with the back of her knuckles, and Blurr quickly ducked out of the way.  
  
"I've been running, of course, I'm hot," he spluttered.  
  
"Well, fine. What is it then? Are you thirsty? Hungry? Tired?" She paused and squinted. "Horny? Do you need to get laid or something?"  
  
Blurr's eyes widened and he backpedaled. "Coach!" Horny!? Really!? He might be dreaming about feathers and sweetness and warmth, but it had nothing to do with lust.   
  
Nothing at all.   
  
"It's a legitimate question,” Coach Sylvester protested without a hint of embarrassment. She threw up her hands, nearly tossing her clipboard away. “I can't be worried when my star runner starts acting like he’s wading through molasses?”   
  
Blurr sighed and hung his head. He stared at the ground, wondering if he sped away from this conversation, if she’d re-evaluate her position.   
  
“It’s just an off day,” he muttered.   
  
“Right.” Coach snorted and patted the clipboard against her palm. “Doesn’t have anything to do with the episode of Ellen going on in the bleachers, does it?”   
  
“Of course not,” Blurr said, and flushed, because he’d spoken a little too fast for it to be believable.   
  
The look Coach gave him said as much.   
  
She sighed and pinched the bridge of her nose, rubbing her thumb and forefinger across her cheekbones. “Blurr--”  
  
“Seriously. Off day,” he said.   
  
Her lips pressed together. She closed her eyes, took a deep breath, and opened them again. “Blurr,” she said, “give me five laps of cool down then hit the showers. In this state, you’re going to pull something or trip on nothing, and then I’ll really be angry. Do you want me to be angry?”   
  
Blurr’s shoulders sank. “Of course not.” He lifted his head, gaze flicking to the bleachers where Starscream was posing with two others for a picture.   
  
He wasn’t jealous. But something twisted and churned in his belly nonetheless.   
  
Blurr whipped off the towel, tossing it in the general direction of his bag. “Five laps, then hit the showers,” he confirmed.   
  
“Get to it,” Coach Sylvester said. Her eyes were on him, narrow and cutting, and Blurr hated when she looked at him like that. It reminded him too much of his mother, who seemed to always know when he was lying.   
  
Blurr nodded and without another word, set off into a leisurely pace. It was achingly, boringly slow. But it was necessary. If he wanted to avoid another night of painful muscle cramps, he needed to cool down.   
  
He forced himself not to look in Starscream’s direction. He pretended Starscream and his gaggle of interested onlookers wasn’t taking up a large chunk of the bleachers. He kept to the inner practice track, away from his teammates who were in the middle of their practice heats, performing far better than he did.   
  
He focused so hard, it took him a long moment to realize someone had jogged up beside him, easily keeping pace.   
  
“Lost in thought there, aren’t you, Dae?”   
  
Blurr flushed and tossed his teammate a smile. “Sorry, Tee. I’m a little off today, I guess.”   
  
TJ chuckled, his deep voice reverberating through the air. It sent a tingle down Blurr’s spine, like it always did. “Yeah, I think everyone’s noticed. Nijam was talking about making your bird friend our mascot.”   
  
Blurr snorted. “Yes. A harpy. That’ll really work considering we’re supposed to be the Cavaliers.”   
  
“Our wonderful football team of a losing streak are the Cavaliers. We can be whatever lucky name we want,” TJ reminded him, jogging close enough to give Blurr a bit of a nudge. "Besides, he's pretty good at drawing a crowd, and more fans equals more money, right?"  
  
"Right," Blurr said.  
  
Starscream definitely excelled at drawing a crowd. Every time they were out in public, Starscream drew admiring glances, curious onlookers, and the like. Bolder individuals came right up to them, asking for pictures and peppering him with questions. Starscream took it all in stride, but sometimes.  
  
Sometimes, Blurr hated the attention. He wished he could keep Starscream for himself. Starscream was his friend, after all, not just a point of curiosity for everyone else.  
  
But Coach was right, too. Starscream was a distraction. It was hard to think around him, hard to want to do anything but soak up Starscream's presence.  
  
"Blurr."  
  
"Hm?" He looked at TJ who smiled back at him with amusement dancing in his eyes.  
  
"You were spacing out again." TJ chuckled and shook his head. "I guess there's no point in asking if you're free tonight, hm?"  
  
Blurr flushed to the tips of his ears. What was it Coach asked him about? Thirst, hunger, sleep and sex? TJ was always good for the last one. It was casual, nothing more than two teammates blowing off steam to keep their stress levels reasonably low.  
  
"Starscream wanted to go to Films on the Field tonight," Blurr said with an apologetic smile. "Otherwise, I'd be totally free." A part of him desperately wanted to be free.  
  
"I figured as much. What are they showing?"  
  
Blurr shrugged. "I have no idea, but he'd seen the flyers and asked me about it, and he looked so excited so you know..." He rolled his shoulders, tried to play it casual. He didn’t know how well he succeeded.  
  
"No worries, man. Bros before hos, right?"  
  
"TJ!"  
  
His teammate laughed harder and put on a burst of speed, spinning to jog backward so he could face Blurr. "You're cute when you blush, you know."  
  
Blurr rolled his eyes. "I'm jogging in the sun. It's hot. I'm sweating. It's not a blush."  
  
"It's a blush." TJ grinned before a look of guilt flicked over his face. "Uh oh. Coach is giving me the stink eye. Guess that's my cue."  
  
"I'll call you if anything changes," Blurr said as TJ started to slip off the track, into the open space in the middle.  
  
"Sure you will," TJ threw back over his shoulder. "I won't hold my breath."  
  
Blurr watched him go with a tiny curl of regret. TJ was gorgeous and playful, and sharing a mattress with him was a guarantee of a good time, one without any strings. But there would be other opportunities. He was more interested in seeing Starscream experience Films on the Field.  
  
Speaking of...  
  
As Blurr rounded into his fifth and final cool-down lap, he glanced at the bleachers. Starscream was still surrounded by his admiring army, but he'd climbed a bit higher in the stands, and sat heads taller than everyone else. He seemed to be looking around, searching, and when his head turned in Blurr's direction, he grinned and waved. Blurr's heart went thumpa-thump, and it had to be because of the exertion. There was no other explanation.  
  
Blurr ducked his head and studied the track, tracing the lines with his eyes, until he finished the last lap. He glanced at Coach, who gave him a nod of dismissal, so Blurr swung by the benches, scooping up his water bottle and towel. He took both with him, ducking into the locker room. He showered quickly, washing the sweat from his body, and toweled off haphazardly, his tank still clinging to his wet back as he dressed.  
  
Blurr grabbed his bag, threw his dirty clothes into it, slung it over his shoulder, and hurried out of the locker room. Sharp whistles pierced the afternoon air, and Coach shouted at Blurr’s fellow teammates – including TJ. At least she had someone else to direct her ire at, now that Blurr had finished disappointing her.   
  
He jogged out of the locker room and hung a left to the stairs, noisily clomping up the old metal. He only had eyes for the clump of Starscream admirers, which had not lessened in his absence.   
  
Starscream noticed him first. He stood and waved, the feathers around his face fluttering in the breeze. “Blurr!”   
  
The heat returned to Blurr’s cheeks. If anyone asked, he would blame it on the sun and exertion. He didn’t know why he reacted to Starscream like this. It didn’t make any sense.   
  
Blurr jogged up the steps and threaded through the crowd, which obediently parted to make him a path toward Starscream. The harpy was aflutter with delight, his feathers fluffed and shining as they usually were when he was showing off. His eyes were bright, his tail swishing back and forth behind him.   
  
Miko and Sari sat nearby as well, Sari with a notebook full of scribbles and Miko clicking frantically through the preview images on her digital camera. Occasionally, her eyes would light up, and she would show something to Sari, who would nod approvingly.   
  
“I thought you had practice for another half hour,” Starscream said as he tugged Blurr to sit down next to him, almost pulling Blurr into his lap.   
  
Blurr stumbled, but caught himself, his bag thumping to the ground beside him. “Head’s not in the game, I guess. Coach made me hit the showers before I hurt myself.”   
  
Starscream frowned. “Are you sick?” He looked Blurr up and down, eyes narrowing with concern. “I don’t know how to tell if humans are sick.” He tucked a knuckle under Blurr’s chin and tilted his head up, though what he was looking for, Blurr had no clue.   
  
“I’m not sick,” Blurr assured him.   
  
Starscream withdrew the finger.   
  
“How do you know when a harpy is sick?” Sari asked, leaning forward and flipping to a new page in her notebook. “Do you have doctors?” Her pen hovered over the paper.   
  
“We do,” Starscream said, briefly shifting his attention to her, though a flicker of irritation darkened his eyes. “The best of them train in Nova Cronum, but most aeries have their own healers, and they often choose and train a successor.”   
  
Sari obediently scribbled down the information. Flash! Went the camera as Miko snapped another picture. The sun beamed down at them, and sweat slicked down Blurr’s spine. Primus, but Kaon was always so hot.   
  
“What kind of medicine do harpies have?” one of the swarming fans asked from a row below. Blurr didn’t know the kid, didn’t care to know the kid, but was pretty sure after today, HARPs roster was going to swell.   
  
Starscream shrugged. “The usual kind, I guess? We rely on natural remedies more than humans do. Our diagnostic equipment is here and here.” He tapped his nose and his temple, next to his eyes.   
  
The crowd giggled in unison. It was an eerie sight.   
  
“Are you sure you’re okay?” Starscream asked, and it took Blurr a moment to realize Starscream had directed the question at him. He felt more than a little superfluous, like maybe he should take his human ass home and leave Starscream to his bevy of admirers.   
  
Surely Starscream would rather stay here than go see some dumb rerun at the field. Blurr could call up TJ instead, and it would be a more normal night.   
  
Not that Blurr really knew what normal meant anymore.   
  
In all likelihood, wasn’t that the rational explanation behind his weird behavior around Starscream? He hadn’t had much time for TJ lately, and his dick had only seen the comfort of his own hand. Maybe Coach was right.   
  
Maybe he was just horny.   
  
“I’m sure.” Blurr made a point of checking his watch, though technically, he would have still been in practice by this time. “It seems they’ve got a lot of questions left to ask you though. So I think I’ll just head home and you can stay here.”   
  
Starscream frowned. “But we had plans, didn’t we?”   
  
“Yeah, but--”  
  
Starscream abruptly stood, his tail flicking and nearly taking out someone behind him. Someone who had been reaching for feathers he had no right to touch anyway. Blurr glared at the stranger, who wisely backed up, shoving their hand under their thigh.   
  
“I’m done with the interview,” he declared.   
  
Sari and Miko managed matching crestfallen looks. “But I had other things I wanted to ask you,” Sari said.   
  
Miko gestured with her camera. “I wanted to get some video of you flying.”   
  
“Another time,” Starscream said. He shooed Blurr ahead of him with a little push, and started to make his way toward the aisle.   
  
Blurr obeyed, the crowd once again obediently parting for him, though their looks of disappointment were almost comical. Blurr wanted to crow with victory.   
  
“I’m going to keep coming back here,” Starscream added as the two women looked as if they might protest. “Blurr’s here, and I want to learn. You can interview me again later. And record me flying, if you really want.”   
  
“I do.” Miko clutched her camera, swooning a little where she sat, Sari leaning in behind her to rest her chin on her girlfriend’s shoulder. “Do you think you could convince others to visit, too?”   
  
Starscream snorted. “Doubtful. But I can try.” He gave Blurr another nudge and finally, they were free of the crowd.   
  
Blurr started down the stairs, Starscream following after him without delay.   
  
“I’ll call you, Blurr!” Miko shouted.   
  
Blurr pretended he hadn’t heard her.   
  
“Thank you!” Sari added.   
  
“Come back soon!”   
  
“Goodbye!”   
  
“See you later!”   
  
A chorus of commentary rose from the group of a dozen or so people behind them. Blurr didn’t look back, and neither did Starscream, not even when they stepped off the stands and onto the grass.   
  
Blurr started for the exit tunnel, Starscream hot on his heels. A soft sigh spilled out of the harpy’s mouth.   
  
“I never realized humans were so inquisitive,” he said. “And I thought I asked a lot of questions. Sari will make a good reporter some day.”   
  
Blurr adjusted the strap of his bag. “You could have stayed.”   
  
Starscream looked down the tip of his nose at Blurr. “I didn’t want to,” he said, blunt. “We had plans. You were taking me to Film on the Field, and I want to go.” He paused, and his voice dropped into something edging with hurt. “Unless you don’t to. I know you have a life outside of our friendship. Perhaps you’ve made other plans?”   
  
Blurr peered up at him. Starscream’s expression gave away nothing, as it often did. Weeks of a friendship and Blurr still couldn’t read his expressions as well as he could another human. He’d learned a few things. What the twitch of a tail meant. The fluffing and smoothing of feathers. The rise and fall of a feather crest.   
  
Starscream, however, was still something of an enigma.   
  
Had he noticed Blurr’s conversation with TJ? Had it bothered him?   
  
“I wouldn’t do that.” Blurr patted Starscream on the shoulder, his fingers moving over the unexpectedly soft plumage. “Especially not to a friend.”   
  
Starscream’s feathers ruffled before settling again – a sign he was pleased. “If you say so. Does that mean we’re going to watch the movie?”   
  
Blurr chuckled. “Yep. Though not yet. We’ve got a few hours until sundown, and I think the football team is still practicing at this point.” Or at least what counted as a football team for their school.   
  
The Cavaliers weren’t very good, and were better known for their losing streak than any sort of trophy win. But they had a dedicated, ever-hopeful fanbase, and wasn’t that the definition of a true fan?   
  
“We could watch them?” Starscream asked.   
  
“I guess. If you want.” Blurr had never been to a Cavaliers game in the entire three and a half years he’d spent at the university. “I doubt they’d mind.”   
  
“As long as I’m with you, it doesn’t matter.”   
  
Blurr scratched at the side of his face, trying to hide the heat in it. Starscream was absurdly perceptive some times. “We can watch them. But first, snacks. I’m starving.”   
  
“You always are.” Starscream laughed.   
  
Relief flooded through Blurr before he could stop it. They left the track field behind, and Starscream’s gaggle of admirers, and a tension Blurr hadn’t realized he’d carried, left his body.   
  
It wasn’t jealousy, Blurr reflected. He wasn’t sure what it was, but it couldn’t have been jealousy.   
  
It was something.   
  
He’d worry about defining it later.   
  
For now, they had a movie to go watch.   
  


*


	4. Chapter 4

Blurr wasn’t sure when it happened.   
  
It seemed like he blinked, and every Wednesday became every Wednesday plus the occasional Tuesday and sometimes on Thursdays, and a random Sunday. Once a week became twice a week, sometimes thrice a week.   
  
Most of the time, Starscream sought him out. Sometimes, Blurr spied Starscream heading to the library or to Dr. Morgan’s office of his own accord. A pang of disappointment hit Blurr on those days, when he saw Starscream flying out of Kaon, without even stopping to say hello.   
  
It seemed rude, however, to take up Starscream’s study time. So Blurr kept that to himself. Starscream wasn’t under any obligation to spend all of his time with Blurr. He should have other interests outside his friendship with Blurr. Why did he even befriended Blurr in the first place?  
  
It didn’t make sense.   
  
Blurr buried the jealousy. Because it wasn’t jealousy. He had no reason to be jealous. He had his own life, his own busy schedule. There was practice and midterms and the terrible realization that sometime before graduation, he’d have to figure out a plan.   
  
Besides, it was a Sunday and here Starscream was, sprawled out on Blurr’s bed, a book spread out beneath him as he carefully flipped through the pages, reading it faster than anyone Blurr had ever seen. His head bobbed carefully to the background music Blurr played as he pretended to study.   
  
He had absolutely zero interest in studying. It had been a mistake to take physics. A grievous error. He should have taken something easy for an elective, rather than something he’d once carried a passing interest toward.   
  
Blurr sighed, closed his laptop, and leaned back, stretching his arms above his head. His spine cracked, and the chair creaked. He fought off a yawn.   
  
Behind him, Starscream chuckled. “You look like you need a break.”   
  
Blurr spun around in the chair, rolling his neck to ease the a muscle cramp. “I don’t know how you can lay there and read all day. It would be torture to me.” Immobility was a terrible thing. He’d spent the last ten minutes bouncing one leg up and down, just to feel like he wasn’t sitting still.   
  
“I like to read,” Starscream said, rolling his eyes. One talon tapped the cover of his book as he closed it, marking his place with his other hand. “As much as I possibly can.”   
  
“I noticed.” Blurr’s jaw cracked in a yawn, and he stood up, chair groaning beneath him. “I have to get out of here, or I’m going to go crazy.”   
  
Starscream’s lips curved with amusement. He grabbed a loose feather he’d been using as a bookmark and slid it into place. “Can we go to the library then?”   
  
“What? Really?” Blurr groaned and cast around for his runners. He couldn’t remember where he’d tossed them at. “Did you miss the part where I’m trying to get away from studying?”   
  
“Not for you.” Starscream slid off the bed with an enviable grace. He, too, stretched. Blurr pretended he wasn’t paying attention, focusing instead on pulling on his shoes. “For me. They won’t let me check out anymore.”   
  
Blurr laughed. “That’s because you have to return some before you can check out more. It’s a limit.”   
  
“But I’m not done with the other ones yet,” Starscream said with a little pout that made something in Blurr’s belly do a little flip. “I need them for reference.”   
  
Blurr finished tying his laces and swept his hand through his hair, pushing it off his forehead. “Then what’s the point of going to the library?”   
  
“You hardly check out any books,” Starscream pointed out.   
  
Blurr cocked his head. “Yes, because I don’t read them.” He paused as understanding washed over him, and a laugh slipped free. “Really, Starscream? You want me to lie to the librarian and check out books for you?”   
  
Starscream clasped his hands together, and his crest feathers ruffled adorably. “Please?”   
  
Someday, he would learn how to tell Starscream ‘no’.   
  
Today was not that day.   
  
“I’ll take you flying,” Starscream said before Blurr could agree.   
  
Blurr’s eyes widened. A zing of delight danced up his spine and took up residence in his heart. “Really?”   
  
“I mean, I was going to anyway at some point,” Starscream said, suddenly ducking his head, rubbing the back of his neck, his gaze elsewhere. “But if I can use it as incentive now, I’m not above a little bribery.”   
  
It took everything Blurr had not to throw himself at Starscream and hug him. He’d been wanting to fly with Starscream for ages, but he didn’t think it was appropriate to ask. For all he knew, it was rude in harpy culture or something. He didn’t want to overstep his boundaries and cross some line.   
  
Blurr grabbed up his keys and his bag, so he’d have something to carry what he was sure would be an obnoxious amount of books. “You don’t have to bribe me. I’ll get the books for you.”   
  
Starscream’s eyes lit up with glee. “Right now?”   
  
“Yes, right now.” Blurr chuckled and gestured for Starscream to follow him.   
  
He didn’t get very far before he was swept up in an embrace from behind, soft feathers tickling his skin as the sweet scent of blackberries floated to his nose. Starscream’s cheek rubbed against his, wings forming a curtain around him.   
  
“Thank you,” Starscream murmured.   
  
Blurr stilled, only because he was surprised, before he let himself relax into the hug. “You’re welcome.” He patted Starscream’s arm with a free hand, pushing through the curtain of feathers to do so. “Anytime.”   
  
Starscream chuckled and let him go. Blurr resisted the urge to yank him back, for more reasons than he was willing to admit.   
  
“Don’t say that. Or I’ll have you in the library every weekend.”   
  
“Perish the thought.”   
  
Blurr didn’t exactly skip to the library, but there was a pep in his step he prayed Starscream didn’t notice. The scent of blackberries seemed to linger around him, sweet and tantalizing. Starscream chattered as they walked, something about what kind of book he wanted. The topic sounded boring, but Starscream’s enthusiasm was adorable.   
  
“Do you know what you’re looking?” Blurr asked as they passed through the turnstile and slid their ID cards.   
  
Starscream had a visitor ID. He’d apparently been given it not long after he first showed up on campus. It gave him access to the public areas, and apparently, it was supposed to come with an expense account at some point. Blurr had the feeling most of the ‘expenses’ would be used at the coffee shop or on pastries.   
  
“Mrs. Fredericks is holding them for me at the desk. Or at least she said she was,” Starscream made a beeline for said desk, his tail twitching excitedly behind him.   
  
More than a few students noticed him coming. They stared and pointed. By now, a harpy shouldn’t be such a novelty, but apparently, the newness of it would never fade.   
  
Blurr hurried to catch up. Only being a weekend, the main desk wasn’t staffed by the head librarian, but one of her many student aides. The one currently behind the counter was a face Blurr recognized, and he wondered if it was too late to change his mind.   
  
Then she noticed him.   
  
“Dae!”   
  
“Hey, Rathi.” Blurr managed a warm smile as Rathi leaned across the counter toward him, her lips curved in a broad grin. “I didn’t know you worked here.”   
  
“Well, you’d probably know if you ever visited a library desk in your life.” Rathi chuckled and swept her long, dark braid over her shoulder. “Mama insisted. She wanted me to get some ‘practical work experience.’” She lifted her fingers in air-quotes. “As if I’m not already set to take over the family business.”   
  
“Family expectations, right?” Blurr chuckled. It was one of the reasons he and Rathi had gotten along so well. They’d shared the same pressure of familial obligations. “Well, this is a cushy job at least.”   
  
Rathi shrugged. “I’ve had worse.” Her eyes flicked past Blurr, to his feathery shadow. “Afternoon, Starscream. Here to switch out some books for this stack we have for you?”   
  
Starscream uncharacteristically hovered behind Blurr’s right shoulder. “Actually, I’m keeping the ones I still have. Blurr said he’d get some of the others for me.”   
  
“Did he now?” Rathi’s lips curved in a grin. “That sounds like something he’d do. He’s very generous. Aren’t you?” She winked.   
  
Frag it.   
  
Blurr scratched the back of his head as a blush took over his face. Damn Rathi. She always came across as someone reserved and restrained, until she hit you out of left field with something lewd.   
  
Yet another reason they’d had so much fun together.   
  
“Not as generous as I used to be,” Blurr said, and coughed into his fist. “Senior year is the worst.”   
  
“Yeah, that’s my future next year.” Rathi sighed and held up a finger, her nails painted a vivacious red. “Let me go get your stack, Starscream. I might even be generous and let him get them all for you. Be right back.”   
  
She turned and vanished into the back room with a swish of her long braid. Blurr had always loved her hair. It was as soft and silk, long enough to brush her hips, and he’d spent many lazy mornings running his fingers through it.   
  
“An old friend?” Starscream asked as Blurr leaned against the counter and rubbed his face, trying to rub away the blush.   
  
Blurr reluctantly lifted his gaze to Starscream’s. “Something like that.” He peered up at the harpy. “So I don’t know how harpies work or anything, but humans don’t like, immediately mate for life or anything.”   
  
Starscream rolled his eyes. “Neither do harpies. Well, at least, not in my flock or the flock I’m from anyway.” He folded his arms and sniffed. “I’m unaware of human behavior, but I’m not ignorant.”   
  
“I didn’t mean that you were.” Blurr sighed. Somehow, it was very hot in here. Was the air conditioning working? “I just didn’t want to make you uncomfortable. Rathi is an old friend. A fun one.”   
  
“I’ve had fun friends,” Starscream said, still sounding a little miffed. He huffed a breath, his crest feathers flattening. “Why only fun though? She’s nice.”   
  
Blurr shrugged. “It’s complicated.” He crossed his arms and hunched his shoulders, frowning in thought. “Well, more on her end than mine. We went in knowing what it meant.”   
  
“You liked her,” Starscream said.   
  
“Of course I did. But not the way you’re thinking.”  
  
If he sounded fond, Blurr couldn’t help himself. He’d liked Rathi a lot. She’d made him smile like few people did. There was a good chance he would have gotten attached, if they hadn’t mutually agreed to separate. He still wasn’t sure if parting made it easier. It might have been too late by then.   
  
“I’m easy to love,” Rathi declared as she came into view. The door smacked against the wall behind her, and she hauled a tall stack of books with hardcovers and fine print.  
  
Blurr angled to see her, his cheeks hot, but still managing a smile. “Yes, you are.”   
  
Thump! A stack of what had to be ten books thudded onto the counter in front of Rathi. She swept the back of her arm over her forehead and rested her hand on the top of the stack with a loud exhalation.   
  
“Seriously, Star. I love to read, but even I think this is a bit much,” she said.   
  
“It’s never too much.” Starscream reached for the stack.   
  
Rathi slid it back and shook her head. “Nope. Card first. Then you can have the stack.” She paused and tilted her head, lips curving as she tapped her bottom lip. “And if you want them all, I’m going to need some incentive.”   
  
Blurr groaned. “Rathi, don’t start.”   
  
“You hush.” Rathi didn’t look at him. She didn’t have to. She crooked a finger at Starscream and leaned in closer. “I want a kiss.”   
  
Starscream hummed and moved closer to the counter. “That’s doable.” He leaned forward, slipping her hand into his, and bent down, brushing his lips over her palm in the softest kiss Blurr had ever seen.   
  
His eyes widened. He’d never seen Starscream willingly touch another human before.   
  
“ _Enchante_ ,” Starscream purred as he turned her hand over and brushed another kiss over her knuckles. “ _Mademoiselle_.”   
  
Rathi laughed and rolled her eyes. “There are other romances to emulate, Starscream. I’ll pick them out for your next trip. But no, sir. You’re not getting away with that this time.” She waggled her finger at him and tapped it against her cheek. “I want it right here.”   
  
“Rathi, you are a flirt and a thief,” Starscream said with a laugh.   
  
Blurr’s heart seemed to skip a beat in his chest. Starscream’s tone was warm and sultry, and it pooled in Blurr’s belly like an embrace.   
  
“And you are stalling.” Rathi arched a perfectly sculpted eyebrow.   
  
“Well, you’re intimidating,” Starscream said.   
  
Rathi’s reply was to lean forward, aiming her cheek at Starscream. She grinned and winked at Blurr, elbow braced on the counter, painted fingernails rapping a sharp staccato. She’d have never gotten away with that vivid color if she were living at home.   
  
Starscream laughed quietly and leaned in, pecking a quick kiss over the arch of her cheekbone. He gave her hand a squeeze before letting go, returning to his side of the counter.   
  
“Satisfied?” he asked.   
  
Rathi brushed the pad of her fingers over her cheek. “Oh, it’ll do,” she hummed and snagged the scanner from her computer. “You’re lucky it’s a slow day, and no one else is waiting to check out.”  
  
“Libraries have busy days?” Blurr asked with a raised eyebrow.   
  
His heart stammered in his chest, and he couldn’t decide who he was more jealous of, though logically, it should have been Starscream. He hadn’t spent time with Rathi since they amicably parted almost a year ago.   
  
He did miss her.   
  
Rathi rolled her eyes and held out a hand, snapping her fingers in silent entreaty for his student ID. “Other people read, Dae Hyeun. This is a school for academics, not just pretty jocks with long legs.”   
  
Blurr sighed.   
  
“It’s a good thing he’s pretty,” Starscream had the audacity to agree.   
  
Rathi and Starscream both laughed.   
  
Blurr started shoving books into his bag, his ears burning. It was going to suck to haul this bag back to his dorm room, but at least the trudge would keep his mind off all of the embarrassment he was currently suffering.   
  
“Okay, if Mrs. Fredericks asked, you distracted me with a smile, and I have no idea how many books I scanned for you. Oops.” Rathi offered a false look of innocence and confusion, one Blurr didn’t believe or a moment. She flicked Blurr back his ID card. “And you, don’t be such a stranger. We can still talk even if it doesn’t end up involving me stripping you out of those shorts I loved so much.”   
  
Blurr coughed an inhalation, holding his heavy bookbag in front of him like a shield. “I don’t know if I can survive a friendship with you, Rathi.”   
  
“That’s all right. I’ll accept Starscream as a substitute.” She winked and blew him a kiss. “Isn’t that right, sunshine?”   
  
Starscream chuckled, a low, rolling sound that never failed to warble through Blurr’s belly. “You know you’re one of my favorite humans.”   
  
“But Blurr is number one, right?”   
  
“Of course.”   
  
“Don’t we have somewhere to be?” Blurr asked, maybe a little impatiently, because if he had to watch them keep flirting, he was going to stay as red as a tomato.   
  
Rathi lifted her eyebrows and shielded her mouth from Blurr, giving Starscream a look. “He can be a little shy sometimes. It makes him cranky.”   
  
“I’ve noticed.” Starscream reached over and plucked the heavy bag from Blurr’s grip, with an ease Blurr envied. “He is right, however. I did promise him a flight.”   
  
Rathi’s eyes widened with envy. “Oh, boy. He is your favorite. That’s unfair.” Her lower lip jutted in a pout.   
  
Blurr had never been able to resist that pout.   
  
“It’s a gift I offer to no one else,” Starscream said with a sweeping, shallow bow. “You’re welcome to envy him.”   
  
Blurr huffed. “I am standing right here, thank you very much.” He jerked a thumb over his shoulder. “And now I’m heading out the door so you two can continue… whatever this is.” He flicked his hand at them and spun on a heel.   
  
Their laughter seemed to chase him.   
  
They said something else to each other, words Blurr didn’t catch, and then the sound of Starscream’s talons on tile rose behind him before Starscream caught up. He still clutched the heavy bag.   
  
Blurr didn’t reach for it. They were Starscream’s books anyway. He should have to carry them.   
  
“You have an entertaining friend,” Starscream said as they passed through the turnstile and pushed out the double doors.   
  
“Seems like she’s your friend, too.” Blurr shielded his eyes from the bright sun, squinting at the sudden shift from dim to afternoon gleam.   
  
Starscream fiddled with the bag strap, visible in Blurr’s peripheral vision. “She doesn’t treat me differently or like a novelty,” he said. “So yes, I would consider her a friend.”   
  
Blurr dropped his hand and turned to face the harpy. “Rathi’s like that,” he began carefully. “She’s been the token one too many times in her life, so she tries her best to make sure no one ever has to feel like that.” The corner of his mouth turned up into a smile. “She’s a good egg.”   
  
“You speak of her so fondly.” Starscream’s gaze dropped to the ground, his feathery brows furrowing, talons plucking at the fabric of Blurr’s bag. “I do not understand why you are no longer together. I know you said it’s complicated, but--”  
  
Blurr sighed and sucked his bottom lip into his mouth, briefly teething it. “I don’t know if I can explain it in a way that you’ll get the context.” He paused and held up a hand, just as Starscream slipped into a scowl. “Not because you’re dumb or anything, Star. It’s just because it’s a lot of human cultural context, specifically with hers and mine.”   
  
Starscream gnawed on his bottom lip before he nodded slowly. “I may not get the particulars, but I get the gist. We harpies are not without our cultural barriers.” His gaze went distant, brows furrowing again. “It is one of the reasons I left my home aerie.”   
  
“You left someone you loved behind?” Blurr asked. He wasn’t sure if Starscream’s expression was relief or regret.   
  
Starscream shook his head. “Yes, but not of the romantic persuasion.” His grin was somewhat wry. “I do have a family. A younger brother, to be more precise. He’s a bit of a brat, but I do love him dearly.”   
  
“I have siblings, too,” Blurr said. “A younger sister. I think it’s sort of a cardinal rule that if they’re younger, they have to be brats.” He missed Hae-Won dearly, far more than his parents. They still kept in contact, through the occasional, furtive emails, but nothing more.   
  
Her absence in his life was the worst of the exile.   
  
Starscream chuckled. “It must be.” He stopped fiddling with the bag, and relief seemed to roll over him, because his feathers ruffled and his shoulders relaxed. “For what it is worth, I am sorry you and Rathi cannot be together.”   
  
Blurr shrugged and turned away from the library, Starscream falling in step beside him. “We’re not star-crossed lovers or anything. We always knew the score.”   
  
“Still--”  
  
“Still nothing.” Blurr exhaled sharply. “It’s done. We’re still friends, and both of us are happy with the way things turned out. Besides, didn’t you promise to take me flying?”   
  
It was a terrible segue, but Blurr really wanted Starscream to drop the subject. Now. He didn’t want to spend an hour trying to explain to Starscream the complicated tangle that was the semester he spent with Rathi. He was only glad Starscream had not thought to ask him about TJ.   
  
Blurr was well aware his past relationships were a bundle of tangled complications. He wouldn’t even mention the numerous one-night stands he’d thrown himself into, those first few months or so after he’d been tossed out of the house.   
  
Starscream had a high opinion of Blurr for some reason. Blurr wanted to keep it that way.   
  
Starscream gave him a look, like he was aware Blurr was avoiding something, but he nodded anyway. “I did. And I’m going to keep that promise.” He held up the bag. “We should probably take these to your dorm first. I don’t think I can carry them and you.”   
  
“You make a good point.” Blurr laughed, though it felt forced. Luckily, Starscream didn’t push any further.   
  
They dropped the bag of books off at Blurr’s dorm, and then Blurr followed Starscream to one of the open fields on the perimeter of the campus. Students often trekked out here to play disc golf or picnic on the grass or meet for study groups. This afternoon, it was pretty deserted, which was a relief.   
  
The last thing Blurr needed was another audience.   
  
“All right,” he said, clapping his hands together, butterflies dancing a jig in his belly. “So, um, how are we doing to do this?” He eyed Starscream’s arms, which were his wings.   
  
Starscream couldn’t exactly carry him.   
  
“I’m stronger than I look,” Starscream said with a little laugh. He held up one hand, two long fingers extended. “You have two choices. You can cling to my back or you can cling to my front.”   
  
Blurr worked his throat over a sudden lump. Straddling Starscream from the front? Primus, he’d had a dream like that last night, and there’d been nothing innocent involved. He didn’t know if his dignity could survive that.   
  
“Your back,” Blurr said. “Though if it’s easier for you the other way, I can do that.”   
  
Starscream shook his head. “Either way is fine.” He lowered himself to one knee and held out an arm to Blurr. “Ready?”   
  
Blurr’s heart hammered a mile a minute. “Yes.” And most definitely, no. He wanted to fly; he didn’t know if he would survive being so close to Starscream.   
  
He rubbed sweaty palms together and circled around Starscream, eying the landscape of Starscream’s back, careful not to step on the sweep of Starscream’s tail.   
  
“Um, how should I…?”  
  
Starscream chuckled and turned to look over his shoulders. “Arms over my shoulders, legs around my waist. I believe you call it a ‘piggyback’ ride?”   
  
“That won’t hurt you?”   
  
“I’ve often given fledges rides in this manner. You’re not much larger,” Starscream said with a smile.   
  
“If you say so.”   
  
Blurr took a deep breath and glanced around. They hadn’t attracted a crowd yet. He hoped they could get in the air before anyone noticed, if anyone did.   
  
It was awkward to step to either side of Starscream and lean against his back. He draped his arms over Starscream’s shoulders, and Starscream gripped his thighs, guiding them around Starscream’s waist. He crossed his legs at the ankles, wrapped his arms over Starscream’s shoulders, excitement and trepidation warring inside of him.   
  
Starscream held him steady and then stood.   
  
Blurr might have squeezed tighter than was necessary. “You swear you’ve done this before?” he asked, hopefully louder than a squeak, his forehead pressed to the fluff of feathers slicking down from the back of Starscream’s head.   
  
Starscream chuckled, and the rumble of it seemed to vibrate through Blurr. “I promise.” He patted Blurr’s thighs and let go, leaving Blurr to cling on his own. “You won’t fall. I won’t drop you.”  
  
“I believe you.”   
  
Honestly, he did. He was just a little anxious was all.   
  
“Ready?” Starscream asked.   
  
Blurr clung tighter, fingers and heels digging in against Starscream’s body. If it hurt, Starscream didn’t mention anything. He stood straight and tall, arms hanging loose at his side. Blurr could feel the tension in Starscream’s muscles, the strength hidden beneath the soft feathers. It was very reassuring.   
  
“Do I need to count down?”   
  
Blurr’s face blazed with heat. “Just do it,” he said.   
  
Starscream chuckled.   
  
He tensed again. Crouched. Arms extended.   
  
And then he leapt, at least his height and more, with more power than Blurr could have ever expected, straight into the air.   
  
 _Fwoosh!_    
  
Starscream’s wings swept down in a powerful arc, propelling him higher. Wind smacked against Blurr’s face, whipping his hair backward, his stomach dropping down into his knees. He squeaked and tightened his grip on Starscream, clinging like a monkey.   
  
 _Fwoosh!_    
  
Another powerful flap brought them him enough to crest the tops of the magnolia trees and then beyond. Blurr’s breath caught in his throat. His heart hammered, and his eyes watered as the wind rushed against them.   
  
 _Fwoosh! Fwoosh! Fwoosh!_  
  
Faster now, Starscream’s wings beat a harder, stronger rhythm, climbing them higher and higher into the air, until the entirety of the university spread out below them, and the distant clock tower was the last highpoint. Blurr could read it from here, the large hands on the quartz face a thick, distinct line of black.   
  
Two more powerful pulls of Starscream’s wings, and he tilted forward a bit, wings stretched far. He caught an air current or something and started to glide, the full length of his wings stretching to either side.   
  
Beautiful.   
  
There was no other word to describe the array of reds and blues glimmering in the midday sun, the wind rustling over them.   
  
Blurr lifted his head as much as he dared, staring out over Starscream’s feathers to take in the sights, the horizon a smear of colors hinting of an approaching autumn. Cars crept along the tiny streets below. Glass reflected the sun’s rays. People moved below, too far to distinguish features.   
  
Starscream climbed higher yet again, until Blurr could see beyond the boundaries of the university, to the land stretching past it. The dark green of the nearby forest stood out in stark contrast to the pale green and yellow of the open fields, and darker still was the great mass of gigantic trees in the middle of the forest.   
  
Blurr had never been there, but he knew the massive, domed tree in the center was the one which housed Starscream’s aerie. The rise and fall of the forest made it seem like the region was full of hills, but in fact, the rolling height was entirely due to the trees. The greatwoods were one of the tallest living things on the planet, and they grew in abundance in Kaon.   
  
He hoped he could see the aerie in person someday.   
  
Blurr squeezed Starscream, not out of fear, but out of gratitude. When Starscream switched to gliding once more, he tried to speak, shifting enough to talk directly in Starscream’s ear.   
  
“You’re amazing,” he said. “This is amazing. Thank you.”   
  
Starscream laughed, and the rumbles of it echoed against Blurr’s chest and belly. “Anytime,” he replied, voice raised to be heard over the wind whistling in Blurr’s ears. “All you have to do is ask.”   
  
He tilted and turned in that moment, giving Blurr an all new scenic view, and a laugh of delight escaped Blurr before he could rein it in.   
  
In that moment, he wished more than anything, that he could fly, too.   
  


*


	5. Chapter 5

A tingle spread up his spine, and Blurr knew without looking that he had an admirer. It was a common occurrence as of late. He glanced up from scribbling some notes, and slanted a look out the class window.   
  
Starscream perched in the large oak tree, draped over the thick branches like he was posing for a still-life. His dark red and blue feathers stood out in stark relief against the green leaves and brown bark. He clung to the branch languidly, leaves fluttering to the ground beneath him.   
  
As of now, he didn’t have a crowd gathered around him, but Blurr knew that would change in a split-second. Ever since Sari and Miko’s article hit the campus magazine, the amount of students interested in Starscream had tripled. They could hardly go anywhere without being waylaid now, and Blurr kept getting bombarded by the most irritating and impolite questions.   
  
Blurr's fellow students hadn't noticed Starscream yet, mostly because they were all so focused on the lecture. Blurr wished he could learn that skill. He hadn’t been able to ignore Starscream once. Not since Starscream flittered into his life.   
  
He once accused Starscream of casting a spell on him, like a special harpy magic.   
  
Starscream laughed at him.   
  
Harpies don’t have magic, he said with a little smirk. Like Blurr should’ve known.  
  
Before coming to Kaon, Blurr had never seen a harpy, much less interacted with one. Back home, they kept to themselves and away from humans. He’d only glimpsed one from afar before, a dark blotch in the middle of a blue sky. He’d envied that harpy.   
  
Blurr had no interest in harpies until Starscream swooped into his life. He wasn't an Avian Studies major, and he wasn't a member of H.A.R.P. He was a soon-to-be graduating senior who entertained dreams of maybe one day running in the big leagues while juggling a job in something easy, like contractual IT work.   
  
He still didn't know why Starscream was interested in him.   
  
Speaking of, the harpy's eyes lit up with glee when he noticed Blurr looking back at him. He lifted one taloned hand, wiggling his long fingers in a wave. He smiled with a mouthful of pointed canines that no human could match. Once, that would have unnerved Blurr.   
  
Now, his face reddened as his stomach did a weird little flip. He forcibly turned his attention back to his notes because they were safer to look at than the pretty harpy in the tree. He had no idea where his instructor was in the lecture anymore. His thoughts scattered in all directions, and it was entirely Starscream's fault.   
  
It usually was. Starscream had a talent for swooping in and scattering all of Blurr’s plans to the wind.   
  
Blurr sighed.   
  
He had enough trouble paying attention as it was without Starscream distracting him.  
  
He propped his head on his hand and stared up at the whiteboard as his professor scribbled something in a bright blue marker. It looked like gibberish to Blurr. Maybe physics wasn't the best choice for an extra credit course. But like hell was he going to take existential poetry. Just the idea of it made his head spin.   
  
Blurr was not suited for fancy things. But he liked numbers. So long as they made sense.   
  
It was that much harder to concentrate now. Blurr was intensely aware of Starscream watching him through the window. The end of class couldn't come soon enough, and Blurr was one of the first to bolt from the room, already working himself into a righteous froth.   
  
Not that yelling at Starscream ever seemed to faze him.   
  
He wasn’t even sure why he was so angry, or if anger was even what he felt. Just that there was something bubbling and boiling inside of him, and Starscream had to be the catalyst.   
  
Blurr left Archstone, the biological studies building, and headed straight for the massive oak tree. It rustled, several leaves drifting to the ground. A crowd started to gather.  
  
Starscream couldn’t go anywhere without attracting attention. Now people in the crowd had noticed Blurr. They whispered and pointed at him, too. One person’s eyes lit up with interest, and he broke away from his friend, as if he intended to corner Blurr and start in with more of the invasive questions.   
  
No. Blurr couldn’t deal with that. Not today.   
  
Blurr spun and headed the opposite direction. He was going to get a latte and camp out in the back corner of the library. Hopefully, he could use the time and space to make sense of the squiggles of his physics notes. Maybe, if he ignored Starscream long enough, the harpy would get bored and leave Blurr be. Then Blurr could go back to his normal, boring life and stop dreaming about colorful feathers and sweet scents and warm hugs.   
  
Maybe.   
  
Blurr managed to get around the corner and halfway across the courtyard before the sound of shouting and rustling rose behind him. Blurr walked a little faster.   
  
He heard a whistling, rushing noise. A shadow raced across the ground from above. Blurr groaned and braced himself seconds before there was a heavy thump and a whoosh of air next to him. Starscream landed, his wings slicking down the length of his arms as he clutched his talons behind his back.   
  
“Where are you going?” Starscream sidled up to Blurr's side, casting a rather lengthy shadow. The harpy tried not to loom, but given that he was almost two feet taller than Blurr, he failed miserably.   
  
Blurr looked up into a bright grin. “Somewhere to study. Do you have any idea how distracting you are?”   
  
“Of course I am.” Starscream's plumage ruffled. He all but preened. “I’m a smol, remember? Beauty is what we’re born for.” He leaned closer, the sweet scent of fresh summer fruit cloaking him like a natural cologne. “Want to go for a flight?”   
  
“No. I have to study.” A pang of regret tugged at him though. As terrifying as it was exhilarating, Blurr loved flying with Starscream.   
  
“Study later.” Starscream's talons went click-click on the polished cobblestones. He didn’t notice the stares they attracted anymore. Or if he did, he no longer commented on them. “Or what are you studying? Perhaps I can help.”   
  
Yeah. Right. If Starscream was sitting next to him, no way could Blurr concentrate on his homework. Starscream had been completely capturing the entirety of Blurr's attention from the moment he’d fluttered into Blurr’s life.   
  
“It's physics,” Blurr said.   
  
“And you think I don't know anything about it?”   
  
Blurr whirled to face the harpy, hating he had to look up to do so. Starscream was two heads taller than him. Blurr couldn't imagine what it was like in Starscream’s aerie. He’d already admitted there were harpies much bigger than he was. It would be like being surrounded by feathery giants.   
  
“I didn't say that.” Blurr shifted the weight of his backpack, trying not to sink under a sudden wave of guilt. “It’s just… I mean, I know you have other friends. Like Rathi.” No, that wasn’t a wave of jealousy either. “  
  
Starscream tilted his head. “Is that a subtle way of asking me to get lost?”   
  
Blurr gnawed on his bottom lip. “I didn’t mean that either. I just meant, wouldn't you rather spend time with other people? Maybe someone in Avian Studies or, you know, more interesting people.”   
  
“If I did, I would be with them and not with you,” Starscream said with a patience that Blurr didn’t expect of the oft-impatient harpy.   
  
“That doesn’t really answer my question,” Blurr said with an exasperated sigh. “I just don’t understand why you want to be here with me is all. You have better options.”   
  
“I see.” Starscream straightened, his gaze flicked away. The smile fell off his lips. “I apologize. I didn’t mean to bother you.”   
  
Blurr shook his head, heart suddenly thudding a worried, frantic rhythm. The sound of Starscream’s hurt tone was like an arrow to the chest.   
  
“No. I’m sorry, Star. I’m not saying the right words.” He inhaled, his chest tight and heavy. “It’s just… it’s hard to focus around you, you know?”   
  
He was distracting. Not just because he was smart and beautiful and colorful, but because of the twist in Blurr’s belly when Starscream smiled, and the way he always wanted to lean into Starscream’s presence, even if just to greedily inhale the fruit-sweet smell of him.   
  
Starscream chuckled, thin and weak. “So I’m beginning to see.” He dipped his head in a bow. “I understand. I can leave you time to study. Will you be free tomorrow?” He was already backing away, even as he asked, something in his posture closed off.   
  
Guilt clawed harder. Guilt and the knowledge he actually didn’t want Starscream to leave him alone. No matter how much easier it would make his life. He’d regret it if Starscream left.  
  
Blurr’s resolve crumbled.   
  
He eyed Starscream. “You really understand physics?”   
  
“I do. It was my favorite subject of study,” Starscream replied, his tone a bit cautious, for all that his eyes brightened with pride. “Theoretical or applied?” He bobbed on his clawed feet like an excited toddler. “Not that it matters. I’m familiar with both.”   
  
“Both?” Blurr was aghast. “I’m only taking Introductory.” He clutched at the straps of his backpack. “Are you sure you’re not made of magic?”   
  
Starscream laughed, and tension eased out of the space between them. “Quite.” He leaned close, until his exhales teased Blurr’s face, smelling like berries. Harpies, Blurr knew, were mostly herbivores. “So. Can I help you?”   
  
“You really want to?” Blurr asked.   
  
Starscream flicked his talons over his chest. “Cross my core.”   
  
He’d picked that up somewhere. Blurr had no idea where. Probably from Rathi, knowing she’d been plying Starscream with all kinds of terrible romance novels.   
  
It was actually adorable, not that he’d say so aloud.   
  
Blurr gave in. “All right. Come on.”   
  
Glee warbled in Starscream’s throat. “Can we have more of that espresso stuff?” He fell in step beside Blurr again, tucking his hands behind his back, his feathers trailing along the pavement behind him.   
  
“No.”   
  
“Why not?”   
  
Because it’s the equivalent of giving a child straight sugar, Blurr thought sourly. Sometimes, Starscream’s enthusiasm could be adorable. And sometimes it resulted in Blurr chasing around a harpy with the energy and destructive capability of a child.   
  
“Because I said so.”   
  
Starscream’s lower lip wobbled toward a pout. Blurr should not have found it as cute as he did. “Cinnamon rolls? Studying needs energy, doesn’t it?”   
  
Blurr laughed, resolve tumbling all over again. “Fine. If that’s what you want. I’ll swing by the Union on our way to my dorm.” His spending allotment for the month would end up a little emptier, but it would be worth it.   
  
Feathers ruffled in a show of utter delight. “Two?” Starscream hoped.  
  
Blurr bit his lip so as not to laugh harder. “Sure.”   
  
Starscream beamed. “I like those a lot more than the other stuff.” His nose twitched in remembered disgust. “Why is human food so weird?”   
  
“Because we never stop experimenting.” Blurr chuckled. “Besides, I’m sure there are things harpies eat that I wouldn’t ever touch.”   
  
Starscream sniffed and tossed his head, feathers ruffling with pride. “I doubt it,” he said, his tone imperious and more than a little haughty.   
  
Blurr had to hide his grin. Starscream could be so full of himself sometimes. It would be annoying if it weren’t so charming.   
  
“I have impeccable taste,” Starscream added.   
  
Blurr arched an eyebrow. “So you don’t eat grubs then?”   
  
Starscream’s jaw dropped before he reared back, as affronted as if Blurr had just insulted his mother. “Of course I don’t! I’m not a… a...”  
  
“Bird?” Blurr prompted. This time he didn’t bother to hide his wicked grin. Riling Starscream up was fun in itself. If Starscream could embarrass Blurr with his lack of tact, then this was only fair.   
  
Starscream stared at him with narrowed eyes. “You’re teasing me.”   
  
Blurr grinned and jostled Starscream with an elbow. “Oh, so you noticed.”   
  
Feathers lifted and ruffled in mock offense. Starscream bared his pointed teeth in a pretend growl. “For that, you owe me three cinnamon rolls,” he declared. One talon carefully prodded Blurr in the shoulder.   
  
Blurr chuckled. “Deal.”   
  


~

  
  
To this day, Blurr still wasn’t sure what he’d done to capture Starscream’s interest, or why the harpy had picked him, out of all the humans attending Kaon University, to strike up a friendship with. And yeah, at first, Starscream had been nothing but a pest, with his endless string of questions and his complete lack of tact or modesty.   
  
But he’d been coming to the school pretty steadily now, and while he was polite with a lot of the other students, he seemed pretty determined to keep Blurr as a friend.   
  
Blurr found he didn’t mind so much. He liked Starscream, for all his quirks, and watching the harpy try new things never ceased to be entertaining. Starscream’s reaction to cotton candy was a much beloved memory for whenever he needed a good laugh. Though there were days he’d like to forget.   
  
Like the time Starscream found his porn for instance.   
  
Primus. Starscream really did have no shame.   
  
It was strange how quickly Blurr became used to having Starscream in his life. Oh, sure, the weekly visits could occasionally be irritating, and sometimes, they embarrassed Blurr. But when it came down to it, Starscream was actually the closest thing he had to a best friend.   
  
If you spent a lot of time fantasizing about your best friend anyway. Blurr actually wouldn’t call it fantasizing. More like… distracted wondering. It wasn’t like he’d actually do anything. He just had the occasional night-dream and daydream, and these random urges to kiss Starscream. The harpy was so touchy-feely, Blurr couldn’t help himself.   
  
Anyway, the point was, Starscream was his best friend.   
  
Which was probably pretty pathetic, come to think of it. He’d been attending this university for three years, and the person closest to him was a harpy he’d met a few months ago?  
  
Not so pathetic, however, when he looked at his test results and realized he’d actually passed a physics exam for once. It looked like he wouldn’t be scraping by with a passing grade in this class after all.   
  
He owed Starscream a dozen cinnamon rolls. And whatever else the harpy wanted. Screw the declining balance in his student card. He had a harpy to thank!  
  
The worst part of being friends with Starscream, however, was his inconsistent schedule. Sometimes, he visited three times a week. Sometimes, two weeks would pass before Blurr saw a single crimson feather. And sometimes, Starscream would show up on a Monday and not leave until Friday, taking up space in Blurr’s dorm room, leaving feathers all over the place, and complaining about how small Blurr’s space was.   
  
It wasn’t small, by the way, Starscream was just big. Blurr had said as much.   
  
“I’ll have you know,” Starscream had replied, all exaggerated affront and twitching crown feathers, “I’m actually small for my kind.”   
  
Blurr had boggled at that. If Starscream was small, what did they consider big and should he be glad he’d never met one of them? He’d seen pictures of Perceptor and Drift, both previous residents before they’d left to live in the newly established Kaon aerie. Both of them were bigger than Starscream, but not by that much.   
  
So naturally, for one of the rare times Blurr wanted to contact Starscream first, he couldn’t. It wasn’t like he could pick up a phone and give the harpy a call. Or put up some kind of signal in the sky. Their friendship revolved around Starscream’s whims.   
  
Alas.   
  
He grabbed his phone, checking for any messages. Zip. Zilch. Nada. Rathi, he already knew, was away, out of town for the weekend for some family business.   
  
TJ was going to a game tonight, one that had nothing to do with sports. He’d tried inviting Blurr a couple times, but sitting down for several hours in a row trying to concentrate on an imaginary situation was not Blurr’s forte.   
  
And the two of them were pretty much the extent of Blurr’s friends, outside of casual acquaintances.   
  
Blurr sighed and slumped into his desk chair, rolling across the floor to scuttle to his desk. If he was going to be bored, he might as well get some work done. Papers didn’t write themselves, and message boards didn’t answer questions for him. Not to mention his e-mail.   
  
He couldn’t remember the last time he’d checked it. Most of his professors still resisted the advent of certain technologies and rarely used e-mail. His inbox was usually stuffed full of university paraphernalia that went straight into the recycle bin, when he bothered to check it anyway.   
  
Sports announcements. Charity events. Weekly specials for the coffeehouse. Coupons for the local pizza parlor. Requests to send money to a faraway prince…  
  
Oh, and an invitation to a dorm hall mixer two nights ago. Oops. He missed that. Intentionally. Blurr couldn’t remember the last time he actually attended one of those. They were so… boring? People had already formed their friendship cliques and while Blurr was acquainted with everyone else on his floor, he wasn’t close to any of them.   
  
Blurr deleted the email, and then on a whim, just selected all of his emails and deleted them. All except for the one marked high importance. Only it wasn’t, because it was just a reminder for the Halloween costume party this weekend.   
  
Pass.   
  
Blurr declined just so he could delete the invitation.   
  
 _Tap. Tap. Tap._    
  
Blurr blinked. Why did it sound like someone was tapping on his window? He was on the third floor. That should be impossible.   
  
He swung out of his chair, hip-checked it aside, and pulled back the curtain. He reached for the cord to the ever-necessary blinds. Sunrise sent rays of blinding light into his room so he’d learned to have extra coverage.   
  
The blinds drew up, and an upside-down face peered back at him. It was framed by bright red and blue feathers.   
  
Blurr startled and jerked back. “What the frag!” he shrieked. “Starscream!”   
  
The harpy grinned and wriggled his fingers at Blurr. He said something, but Blurrr couldn’t hear him through the double-paned glass. Talons rapped on the window again, a sharp staccato.   
  
Blurr shook his head and pointed to his ears. “I can’t hear you!” he said, mouthing the words.   
  
Starscream blinked and reared back, his feathers fluttering around him. He said something else and rapped on the glass.   
  
“The window doesn’t open!” Blurr said, and then almost smacked himself in the face. If he couldn’t hear Starscream, obviously Starscream couldn’t hear him. He rolled his eyes and held up a finger. “One minute!”   
  
He snapped the blinds and curtains closed, shoved his feet into a pair of runners and grabbed his jacket from the hook by the door. He took the emergency stairs down because they were faster than waiting for the elevator, and he didn’t have to pass any of his floormates. There were benefits to having the small single on the corner.  
  
Blurr emerged on the north-facing side of the building and broke into a light jog to round the corner, looking up the face of the building as he did so. He didn’t know if Starscream was still clinging to the side like some kind of spider, or if the harpy had moved to the ground.   
  
It was late. Later than Starscream usually arrived. It was almost sundown, and the fading light cast odd shadows all around the residential complex. Night lamps buzzed and crackled, attracting flocks of insects.   
  
Starscream was not where Blurr had left him. Darn it. It was too damn cold out here to play hide and seek!  
  
Blurr raised his voice, which echoed oddly in the still evening. “Star?”   
  
“Why didn’t you let me in?”   
  
Blurr, to his credit, did not shriek like a little girl as he jumped and spun all in one startled motion, nearly unbalancing himself and tumbling in the process. He pinwheeled his arms to keep his balance before planting his feet and glaring at the harpy, who stood behind him. It was not fair that something so large should be able to creep around like that.   
  
“Primus, Star! Stop sneaking up on me!” he hissed.   
  
Starscream rolled his eyes. “At least I didn’t grab you this time.” He grinned and crossed his arms, leaning toward Blurr with mischief in his eyes. “Were you busy?”   
  
“No, the windows don’t open. For safety reasons or something.” Blurr exhaled and swept a hand over his head, trying to calm his raging heart. “You’re here pretty late.”   
  
Starscream shrugged. “Just seems that way because the sun is setting earlier. Besides, I was hoping a friendly neighborhood human might offer me a place to stay tonight.”   
  
“Of course you were.” Blurr shook his head, swallowing down a laugh. He couldn’t let himself be too visibly amused or Starscream would take advantage of his good nature even more than he already did. “Lucky for you, I’m feeling generous. Especially since I owe you.”   
  
Starscream tilted his head. “For what?”   
  
Blurr poked him in the chest, above his crossed arms. “Guess who passed their physics mid-term?”   
  
“Really?” Starscream’s grin nearly split his face in two. “Blurr, that’s great!”   
  
Blurr was abruptly swept up into a feathery hug. He squeaked, entirely undignified, as he face was pressed to Starscream’s chest. The scent of fruit invaded his nose, sweet and tangy. Blurr kind of wanted to bury his face in Starscream’s feathers forever.   
  
“I’m so proud of you!” Starscream said. The rapid beat of his core danced in Blurr’s ears, pressed as close as he was.  
  
His face heated. “Well, it’s mostly thanks to you,” he said, and squirmed.   
  
“You’re smart, Blurr. You would’ve been fine.” Starscream gently set him back down, though he beamed at Blurr as though he’d invented the lightbulb. “I’m glad I could help.”   
  
Blurr coughed into his hand before shoving both into his pockets. The wind picked up, carrying with it the autumn chill. “So I owe you one,” he said, trying to play it off. “Whatever you want, name it.”   
  
“Anything?” Starscream cocked his head to the side, and there it was again, that mischievous look in his eyes.   
  
Also, he really looked like a bird when he did that. Blurr didn’t tell him though. He saved that little gem for later.   
  
“Within reason and reach of my bank account,” Blurr amended with a laugh.   
  
Starscream straightened. “Can I have coffee?” If he were a dog, his tail would have wagged, given the way his eyes lit up.   
  
Blurr swallowed down his groan. “Sure.” Reluctance poured over him, but he’d made a promise. He’d stick to it. “But in the morning.”  
  
“So I can stay?” Starscream rocked on his heels, talons clicking on the cobblestones of the residential courtyard.   
  
It wouldn’t be the first time. Blurr’s floormates had gotten used to seeing Starscream lurking about. It wasn’t as though Blurr could hide a nearly eight foot tall bright red and blue walking, talking bird, now could he?   
  
“You can stay.” At least tomorrow was Saturday. No worries about studying or anything important. He could sleep in and do whatever.   
  
Starscream swept him up in a hug again, and this time, Blurr curled his arms around Starscream in return. Starscream’s enthusiasm was infectious, and the bloom of warmth he built inside of Blurr wasn’t too bad either.   
  
Sure it’d take him the better part of a day to vacuum and dust out the bits of feather molt once Starscream actually left. And Starscream had the bad habit of leaving seed scraps and shells on the floor. But he was company, friendly company, and frankly, Blurr liked having him around.   
  
Feathery company was far, far better than none.   
  
~

~

  
  
Morning came.   
  
Blurr groaned and pulled a pillow over his head. He didn’t bother to glance at the clock, only knowing that it had to be an indecent time. He and Starscream had stayed up half the night, barreling through Blurr’s DVD collection and binging on junk food.   
  
Starscream really liked Cracker Jack. He ate the entirety of Blurr’s stock, and then had to learn the benefits of a toothbrush and floss to get all the popcorn kernels from between his teeth. He vowed to take a whole bag of supplies of dental products back to the aerie with him.   
  
Blurr was glad he kept all of those disposable toothbrushes from the annual dental visits because the buzz from the electric one made Starscream’s feathers rise on end. Like a startled kitten! Adorable, but not quite what Blurr was going for.   
  
Blurr rolled over, or at least he tried to, but there was a warm, breathing mass curled up next to him, when he could have sworn he’d left Starscream konked out in the bed. He absently petted the feathers nearest to his hand before reality caught up to him.   
  
What was he doing?   
  
He jerked his hand back, mortified, and sat up, dislodging the blankets twisted around his legs. Starscream lay next to him, body curled as though cradling Blurr, the wings of his arms scrunched between them. Why had he got down from the bed? It wasn’t that cold in here.   
  
The pile of feathers stirred. “Your floor is hard,” Starscream grumbled as he pushed himself upright, the feathers on his head fluffing out before settling down.   
  
Blurr arched an eyebrow. “You had the bed.”   
  
“It’s too small,” Starscream complained for the thousandth time, and leveraged himself to his taloned feet, limbs stretching in all directions. “What’s for breakfast?”   
  
“Is food all you ever think about it?” Blurr hoped his tone came off teasing, even as he spun onto his knees to get up, so Starscream couldn’t see his face.   
  
He was blushing for no reason. He felt hot and weird all over, and he didn’t want to think about what that meant, except it was so startlingly similar to the feeling he had the first time he realized how badly he wanted to kiss one of his male classmates.   
  
And look how well that turned out.   
  
“It is when you promised me a treat,” Starscream said with that pleased little warble he sometimes made deep in his chest.   
  
Blurr snorted and nudged the assorted bedding into a ball against the wall. He’d straighten it up later. “Fine, fine. Let me change and we can go.”   
  
“Pfft. Humans are so finicky. Changing clothes.” It was Starscream’s turn to snort. Blurr heard the distinct noise of his feet talons plucking at the carpet. “Sounds so exhausting.”   
  
Blurr rolled his eyes and ignored Starscream. He pulled out a sweatshirt and shrugged into it, before yanking on a pair of loose jeans over his sleep shorts. He tried not to think too hard about how he’d been nearly naked with Starscream spooning next to him, all warmth and softness and heated breaths tickling the back of his neck…  
  
“Ready to go?”   
  
Blurr did not leap out of his skin, but he hastily snapped his belt shut and turned, coming face to chest with feathers.   
  
“Primus, Starscream, can I have some breathing room?” he snapped.   
  
The harpy blinked at him and cocked his head. “Your room is small,” he said, but he still obediently took a large, exaggerated step backward, and collided with Blurr’s desk chair. “Better?”   
  
Not really. Now he felt guilty as well as jumpy. His own weird thoughts weren’t any excuse for being rude to Starscream. After all, it wasn’t the harpy’s fault Blurr couldn’t get his mind out of the very odd gutter.   
  
He sighed and scrubbed a hand down his face. “Sorry. Guess I just need my morning coffee.” He forced a grin behind his palm. “Yeah. I’m ready. Let’s go.” He grabbed his wallet and keys, shoving them into his pocket.   
  
“Are you sure?” Starscream followed, though with a noticeable distance now, rather than at Blurr’s heels like usual. “You look red, and I’m told that’s not good for humans.”   
  
“I just need my coffee is all,” Blurr insisted. “I’m not a morning person.”   
  
“I’m not sure this counts as morning anymore,” Starscream said with a little chuckle. He followed Blurr into the elevator, and pressed himself into the corner, as he always did.   
  
Blurr couldn’t fault him for that. Elevators made him uncomfortable, too. But sometimes, he was too lazy for the stairs.   
  
“It does if you’re a college student.” Blurr grinned and moved closer to Starscream as the doors closed, purely for moral support of course and not because Starscream leaned against him, a shiver running through his feathers.   
  
“In my aerie, there is not a single harpy who would still be abed at this hour,” Starscream said as the elevator clunked its way downward. “There is far too much to do.”   
  
A lurch and a low beep and the elevator dropped them off at the ground floor, with Starscream the first out, leaving a feather behind. Blurr scooped it up and tucked it away in his hoodie. Another one for the collection.   
  
“So you say, and yet you’re always here.” They stepped into a crisp mid-morning, the grass twinkling with dew and the air smelling of an oncoming thunderstorm. “Don’t you have duties?”   
  
“Of course I do.” Starscream ruffled, quite literally, his feathers quivering. “And my work is always done before I come here, I’ll have you know.”   
  
Blurr chuckled. “Just checking.”   
  
Mid-morning it might be, but the campus hadn’t really woken. Blurr could see a few of his fellow students out for a jog – which he should have done but too late now. At least the line in the Union would be short.   
  
“Come on.” Blurr pushed open the double doors, gesturing Starscream inside. “Let’s get you that reward.”   
  
“Coffee,” Starscream chirped. “Espresso.”   
  
“We’ll see.”   
  
Bells announced their entrance. There were a few students with dark circles under their eyes tucked into the corners, huddled over laptops and piles of paper, clutching lattes like the caffeine was a lifeline. It was a testament to how accustomed the college was to harpies and Starscream that no one gave Starscream a second glance.   
  
Blurr inhaled deeply, the scent of coffee and pastries already energizing him. Starscream eagerly preceded him to the counter, all but jittering in place as he waited in line behind a couple of women.   
  
Excitement on Starscream was adorable. Especially as he craned his neck to peer into the pastry case, though Blurr had a feeling he’d default to cinnamon rolls. They were his favorite, and while Starscream liked trying new things, rewards weren’t for new experiences. Rewards were for more of the best.   
  
The two women stepped aside.   
  
“Good morning!” the cashier chirped at them, not even blinking at Starscream. “What can I get for you?”   
  
“An iced caramel espresso!” Starscream said, leaning eagerly forward, his talons clicking on the counter edge and a long feather nearly knocking over the tip jar. When Blurr coughed, he eased back and added, “Please.”   
  
“He means a latte,” Blurr clarified as he rushed to catch the jar. He righted it as Starscream leaned over to peer into the case again, and Blurr took his chance.  
  
He frantically whispered, “And make it a decaf for the love of all that is good in the world.”   
  
The cashier – whose name tag read Carly – chuckled. A stud twinkled in her left nostril. “Sure thing. And for you?”   
  
Blurr eyed Starscream and his quivering feathers. Soon to be energized even further by all the sugar he was about to consume. “Double-shot americano.”   
  
Carly’s grin got impossibly wide as she snatched up a cup and scribbled his order onto it. “I hear you. Would you like anything else?”   
  
“Cinnamon rolls!” Starscream chirped, predictably. He leaned back into Blurr’s personal space and tapped two fingers on the counter. “Three of them.”   
  
“Three?” Blurr echoed and gave Starscream a long look. Three was definitely pushing it. “Are you sure?” Because after the Cracker Jack last night, and a caramel latte? Maybe Starscream didn’t need that much sugar.   
  
Starscream blinked. “Why wouldn’t I be?”   
  
“Well, you...” Blurr shifted uneasily. “Lately, you’ve been getting a little fluffy, and I read that even the smallest weight gain in birds could impact their flying ability because it makes them too heavy for lift and--”  
  
He knew he’d said far too much in that rush of words when Starscream abruptly drew up to his full height and looked down at Blurr with fire in his eyes.   
  
“I’m not getting fat!” he snarled, feathers standing on end, and fluffing around his face in a crown of annoyance. “My winter coat is coming in! I’m supposed to look like this!”   
  
Oh.   
  
Blurr’s face reddened. He shifted again. Well, how was he supposed to know that? He wasn’t a harpy expert! Starscream tended to devour sweets like they were going to run away from him. Anyone else would have gained weight ten times over by now, Blurr included.   
  
“And, as I keep telling you, I’m not a bird!”   
  
Well, this morning couldn’t get any more mortifying.   
  
“So how many cinnamon rolls would you like?” Carly asked ever so sweetly, as the two ladies waiting for their drinks accepted them from the other workers, giggling to each other as they eyed Blurr and Starscream.   
  
The heat in Blurr’s cheeks turned to scorching. He shoved his hands in his jean pockets. “As many as he wants.”   
  
Starscream sniffed haughtily and folded his arms, the very picture of outrage. “I’ll take them all.” He then stared at Blurr as if daring him to refuse.   
  
Blurr chewed on his bottom lip just to keep from commenting. Thank Primus there were only about half a dozen in the case. Forget Starscream getting fat. He’d make himself sick eating all of those! Each roll was the size of Blurr’s fist!  
  
“All of them,” Blurr said with a small sigh and dug out his wallet. “How much?”   
  
To her credit, Carly never once lost her blinding grin, and if anything, she seemed highly amused. For the trouble, Blurr stuffed a five into the tip jar and ushered Starscream aside so the customers behind them could order.   
  
Starscream, who was now making every concerted effort to pretend Blurr did not exist. He examined the menu hanging on the wall behind the counter with a scrutiny best reserved for exams or textbooks. And his feathers had clamped tight, eliminating the slight… fluff Blurr had noticed.   
  
Blurr realized, at once, that he’d basically performed the equivalent of calling his significant other fat. In public. Well, that was him in a nutshell. Open mouth, insert foot, plus the ankle, calf and knee.   
  
“Would you like whipped cream?” the sweet barista behind the counter asked as she prepared their drinks. Her hands moved efficiently, and however she managed to do it without looking was a mystery to Blurr.   
  
“I don’t know,” Starscream drawled with a side-eyed glance Blurr’s direction. “I might need to watch my figure.”   
  
“Honey, you don’t need to watch anything. You’re gorgeous the way you are.” The blonde woman winked and promptly swirled a huge mound of whipped cream on the latte, before she drizzled it with more caramel than Blurr had ever gotten on lattes of his own.   
  
If a harpy’s eyes could light up with glee, Starscream’s surely did. He loved whipped cream as much as he loved the sweet glaze on a cinnamon roll. Blurr had never met someone with such a sweet tooth before.   
  
“I am beautiful, aren’t I?” Starscream preened as he gleefully reached for the latte (hopefully decaf) he was offered. “Thank you!”   
  
“You’re welcome, honey.” The barista -- whose name tag read Lydia -- remained all smiles, even as she handed over the bag of cinnamon rolls and Blurr’s double-shot. “Good luck today, cutie. Seems like he’s a handful,” she added in a hushed tone.   
  
“You have no idea.” Blurr grinned as the paper sack crinkled in his hands. “Have a good day.”   
  
“You, too!”   
  
Starscream flounced out the door, and Blurr trailed in his wake, knowing that he had to apologize and trying to figure out how without swallowing more of his own extremities. He forgot how very vain Starscream could be.   
  
Outside, Starscream sipped furiously on his latte, and Blurr once again hoped it was decaf. He stood with his back to Blurr, carefully cupping the plastic so as not to puncture it, as he had once before. He was still visibly tense, feathers drawn tight, shoulders hunched.   
  
Blurr braced himself and swallowed his pride. He stepped up next to Starscream and tapped him with the paper sack. “I’m sorry,” he said. “I’m an idiot.”   
  
“This is true.” Starscream snorted. He turned toward Blurr, eying the bag. “You keep them.” He whipped away, feathers smacking Blurr in the process.   
  
Blurr sighed. “I got them for you. As a thank you. And seriously, Star. I’m sorry. I wasn’t thinking. You look great.”   
  
More than great, if his stupid brain was any indication. Stupid thoughts of cuddling the pretty harpy, or nuzzling his face, or kissing him. Of stroking his fingers over those soft feathers. Starscream was alien and beautiful, and Blurr couldn’t remember ever wanting someone as much as he did Starscream.   
  
He was an idiot for thinking it.   
  
Slurp went the straw and latte, rattling as Starscream swirled it. It was barely sixty degrees out here and still he’d wanted something iced. Probably because iced drinks weren’t a thing in his aerie.   
  
“I’m going to get even fluffier, in case you didn’t know,” Starscream said around a mouthful of latte. “Though, again, not as much as others.”   
  
“I didn’t know,” Blurr admitted. “I don’t know much at all, except what you’ve told me. I’d like to know more though.” He held up the bag again. “How about we split them then? Half for you, half for me?” He wriggled it, making the paper crinkle. “I’ll get more Cracker Jack, too.”   
  
Starscream finally looked at him and cracked a half-grin. “Peace offering?”   
  
“And apology both.”   
  
He plucked the bag from Blurr’s hand. “We’ll share,” he said and leaned in close, his breath smelling of coffee and caramel. Blurr tried not to think too much of stealing his lips for a kiss that was probably illegal. “I forgive you.”   
  
Blurr grinned.   
  


***


	6. Chapter 6

Erotic dreams were nothing new to Blurr. He was a healthy man with a healthy libido, and currently single, he had a healthy collection of fantasies to draw from.  
  
Until he met Starscream, said fantasies were relatively mundane. Faceless lovers or familiar ones. Echoed encounters, or those reimagined of ways they could have gone. Kinks he wanted to try, or things which intrigued him, but he wasn't sure he'd actually enjoy in theory. The usual, basically.  
  
Never had the erotic dreams started with flight.  
  
He'd dreamed of flying. Most humans had at some point. Whether by their own power or in some machine or by transforming into a creature capable of it.  
  
Until Starscream, Blurr had only ever dreamed of flying on his own accord. Now he dreamed of flying with Starscream. But this.  
  
This was the first time flying with Starscream had turned into something far more heated, far more messy, and far more erotic.  
  
The details were blurred, as they always seemed to be, but certain things stood out in sharp definition. Like the ticklish brush of Starscream's feathers against his skin. The strength of Starscream's grip on his thighs, strong enough to hold, but light enough not to harm. The damp heat of Starscream's exhales, the hot rasp of his tongue as it traced circles on the insides of Blurr's thigh. His own moans, muffled by his knuckles, the scratchy-soft of a familiar blanket beneath his ass.  
  
They were in his dorm, or maybe they weren't. Blurr wasn't sure, just like in most dreams, how they got from one point to another. One moment they were flying, Starscream holding him face to face, their lips tangling in soft and sweet kisses. The next they were on a bed and those kisses had gone lower, ticklish and hot, savoring as they explored Blurr's thighs, and his hipbones and nuzzled over his straining erection.  
  
Starscream chuckled, that deep rolling sound which always seemed to reverberate up Blurr's spine, and he kissed the tip of Blurr's dick. He made some comment, but the words were lost to the dream, as if Blurr's subconscious couldn't guess what Starscream might say. And then the harpy was kissing him, his tongue long and rough, but hot and tasting of berries, because Starscream always smelled of berries.  
  
Blurr threaded his fingers in Starscream's feathers, as soft and fine as hair, and deepened the kiss. He felt the sting of Starscream's teeth over his lips, the pressure of Starscream's body over his, hot and heavy though each feather was a sensual slide over his bare skin.  
  
There wasn't a single moment where his dream-self hesitated. It didn't feel wrong in the slightest.  
  
He felt as much a part of it as he felt the active participant. As though he was both watching himself make love to Starscream, and also experiencing it at the same time.  
  
It was weird, and it was erotic, and it was strange, and it was wonderful, and he ached, deep in the pit of his belly, for the pleasure cresting through him in slow and steady waves, to be real.  
  
The kiss deepened, intensified, and tension coiled inside of Blurr. He bucked up against Starscream, grinding the head of his dick against Starscream's belly. There was a purring rumble in Starscream's chest, but his hands were so gentle, so careful, as they tugged Blurr against him, the push and pull that was quite clearly sex, for all that there was no penetration.  
  
Need clawed inside of Blurr, both the participant and the observer. His breathing quickened. Arousal coiled into a tight knot, and he wanted. Release came like a burst of heat, soaking him through and through, suffusing his body in unrelenting warmth.  
  
And then he woke.  
  
Slowly. Eyes blinking open, the world a smear of bright lights and the dull hum of flickering fluorescent and the click-click of fingers on a keyboard. His back ached. In front of him was a smear of blue and red. Something warm and soft draped over his back and shoulders, tickling the nape of his neck.  
  
His pants felt tight but luckily, not damp. He just had a little problem he hoped would go away on his own, or he'd have to take care of in the bathroom.  
  
Or.   
  
Blurr blinked and the smear of color turned into Starscream sitting beside him, one arm draped over the back of Blurr's chair so that he had a feathery blanket. The harpy was reading from a book balanced on the table in front of him. The library table.  
  
Oh. Right. He'd been in the library.  
  
Primus, this was embarrassing.  
  
Blurr swallowed thickly and hoped Starscream couldn't smell the arousal on him. Bad enough his dream had been rather vivid, he didn't want to talk about who had the starring role.  
  
Blurr fought back a yawn and hoped his sleepiness would conceal the heat staining his cheeks. “Starscream?”   
  
The harpy looked up from his book with a small smile. “There are better places to sleep, you know. Like your bed. I know it’s pretty comfortable.”   
  
“I’m not sleeping here on purpose.” Blurr sat up, albeit reluctantly. Starscream’s wing was quite warm, and all Blurr wanted to do was snuggle into it. “I’m supposed to be researching, but it’s so damn boring.” He rubbed his eyes, trying to rub out the sleep. “I don’t think I got very far.”   
  
“There’s a drool spot on your book,” Starscream pointed out with a laugh.   
  
Damn it.   
  
He was right.   
  
Blurr sighed and marked his place before closing the textbook. He’d only managed a few notes for the paper, which was thankfully only five pages. But it was still five pages more than he wanted to write.   
  
“Can I bribe you to write this for me?” Blurr asked, only half-kidding.   
  
Starscream snorted. “I think if you turn in an assignment worthy of a high grade, they might get suspicious.”   
  
“Hey!”   
  
Starscream chuckled and marked his place in his own book. “I’ll revise it for you, if you want. But I won’t write it for you.”   
  
Blurr harrumphed. “You’re no help.” He slumped in his chair and fought back another jaw-cracking yawn. Damn. What time was it?   
  
He glanced at his watch and nearly levitated out of his chair. He knew the library was open pretty much twenty-four hours, but it was past midnight!   
  
“Why didn’t you wake me up?” Blurr asked as he started gathering his supplies and shoving them into his bag. “And why are you here, for that matter? I thought you were going to be at the aerie tonight?”   
  
Starscream closed his book and set it aside, watching Blurr pack up his stuff without offering to help. “Perceptor needed some materials. I volunteered to pick them up for him.” He tilted his head. “And I didn’t wake you up because you looked like you needed the sleep.”   
  
"This paper has been kicking my ass," Blurr admitted. He stuffed several papers into his bag without looking at them, and then shoved his research book on top. "Primus, I need a drink."  
  
Plastic crinkled as Starscream offered him a water bottle.  
  
Blurr chuckled, albeit it was raspy from sleep. "Not that kind of drink, though I appreciate the offer." He rubbed his forehead. "I'm going to need something a little harder." He paused and squinted. "Do harpies have alcohol?"  
  
Starscream folded his arms and arched a feathery eyebrow. "Just how backward do you think we are? Of course we do."  
  
Embarrassment flooded Blurr's cheeks. "Well, then you know what I meant," he mumbled, and slung his bag over his shoulder. "Are you going to stay here or...?"  
  
Starscream stood, carefully tucking his books under an arm. "It's too late for me to fly back. And I don't believe I'm as capable of sleeping on these tables as you are." He softened the comment with a quiet laugh. "I don't want to impose if you have other plans though."  
  
"You're never an imposition." Blurr pushed the chairs back in and swept crumbs from his earlier snack to the floor. "Besides, it's too late to go out. I'm just going to swing by the convenience store, but I'll give you my ID if you want to meet me at the dorm."  
  
"Convenience store," Starscream repeated, and cocked his head. "I don't think I've visited it yet."  
  
Blurr chuckled and headed out of the library, Starscream following in his wake, both of them careful to keep their voices down. Blurr wasn't the only one who'd fallen asleep. He could see other students bundled up in random corners with books or laptops, some of them perhaps exiled by roommates having overnight visitors.  
  
"It's not really a place worth visiting. It's just a small store that has a little bit of everything and is very over-priced." Blurr's stomach grumbled noisily. Two gobbled granola bars and a chugged Red Bull did not a dinner make.  
  
“Everything is worth visiting,” Starscream said.   
  
Blurr managed a quiet laugh. “I suppose from your point of view, it is.” He headed left out of the library, straight for the outer edge of the campus grounds, where the local 7-11 was located catty-corner to the freshmen dorms.   
  
It was an old gas station, probably one of the first built in Kaon, and newer structures rose up around it, bright and shiny in comparison. Weeds sprung up through cracks in the pavement, and the neon lights flickered no matter how often they changed the bulb. There were newer stations further up the road, but the 7-11 persisted, perhaps because it was so popular with the college students.   
  
Blurr crossed the road, Starscream on his heels, the bag bumping against his lower back. A pair of cicadas buzzed overhead and as he stepped around a decrepit phone booth, he got a good look at the current clientele.   
  
"Frag it," Blurr muttered. He stopped mid-stride, glaring at the dark green pick-up truck parked outside the store. He knew that truck, down to the rust stains around the wheel well and the faded bumper stickers.  
  
"What is it? What's wrong?" Starscream peered over his shoulder, looming behind Blurr like a giant, feathery guard of some kind.  
  
"It's nothing," Blurr said, maybe too hasty to be believed, but he couldn't come up with a decent enough lie. "I just changed my mind is all. We don't need to go in there."  
  
He turned and nearly collided with a feathery wall. Starscream had stopped to intercept him, and the look on his face was pensive, feathery eyebrows drawn, worry in the ruffle of his feathers.  
  
"Why not?" Starscream asked, glancing between Blurr and the 7-11, though he lacked the proper context.  
  
Blurr pressed his lips together, gaze dropping. He ignored the growling in his stomach. "Because I have plenty of stuff at home. No need to waste money here. Let's just go." He tried to side-step Starscream, avoid the long reach of those long arms.  
  
"But--"  
  
"Blurr!"  
  
He sighed. Too late.  
  
Blurr adjusted the strap on his shoulder and slowly turned back around, easily tracking the shout back to its owner, the store's cheerful door chiming as it swung back shut, releasing Josiah Ketch back into the world. A broad smile greeted Blurr, set in a face speckled with freckles, below bright blue eyes. Josiah was what the newspapers would call classically handsome, and Blurr knew he could be very charming when the situation called for it.  
  
"I haven't seen you in ages," Josiah said. He tossed his purchases through the open window of the truck and jogged over. "What are you doing out so late?"  
  
"Studying," Blurr replied, his tone carefully neutral.  
  
"Oh, that's right. It's your senior year, isn't it?" Josiah's grin never lost it's wattage, not even as he folded his arms, glanced up at Starscream dismissively, before focusing on Blurr again. "Figured out what you're going to do afterward yet?"  
  
Blurr plastered a fake smile on his face. "Move out of Kaon as soon as possible probably."  
  
Someone unfamiliar with Ketch would have missed the flicker of anger buried in the cast of disappointment on his face. Blurr didn't. He'd become far too skilled at reading Josiah's expressions before he managed to boot the man out of his life.  
  
Starscream made a sound beside Blurr, a cross between a growl and a hum. "You're leaving Kaon?" he asked.  
  
Damn it. This was not a conversation Blurr was going to have right here, past midnight, on the cigarette butt and gum-sticky pavement outside a 7-11, with his ex-boyfriend who better qualified as a stalker on his good days.  
  
Blurr sighed and scrubbed his face. “I haven’t decided yet,” he answered. “I don’t currently have any post-graduation plans.”   
  
“It’s less than a year, Blurr,” Josiah said with a frown, concern radiating from him, and Blurr probably would have fallen for it, months upon months ago. “You’re running out of time.”   
  
“I’m not stupid. I know that,” Blurr snapped, his hand tightening around the strap of his bookbag.   
  
Josiah sighed, like he was someone’s elderly aunt who couldn’t believe their sibling’s children were so worthless. “There’s ample opportunity out there. You know, my uncle still has that position open.”   
  
Blurr’s jaw ached, and he realized too late that it was because he was clenching his teeth. “Then he should hire someone for it already.”   
  
“He’s holding it for you,” Josiah insisted, and there it was, the frustrated edge of his voice Blurr had learned to recognize meant a lecture was forthcoming.   
  
Anger boiled inside of him. “And I already told you I don’t want it,” Blurr ground out, his heart thudding madly inside his chest. It felt like last year all over again, shouting matches outside his dorm or the locker room, strangers staring and whispering, Blurr arguing in a battle he knew he was doomed to lose.   
  
Josiah’s face started to redden, the tips of his ears darkening. “Why are you being so difficult about this?” he asked, tone carefully soft, cultivated with concern. “I’m trying to help you. That’s all I’ve ever tried to do.”   
  
“And I don’t want your help!” Blurr snapped. He was shaking, he realized, much too late. He’d retreated a step, nearly colliding with Starscream behind him, and the humiliation of that only made the situation worse. “I never asked for your help. It’s always come with a price.”   
  
Josiah shook his head. “Now, that’s not true.”   
  
“It is and you know it!” Blurr hissed.   
  
“Dae--”  
  
Blurr snarled before he could stop himself, suddenly years younger and years stupider, and aching from another month gone by without his mother returning his calls. “Don’t call me that. You lost that right.”  
  
“Blurr,” Josiah corrected, still with that soft, patient smile, that used to make their friends believe Blurr was the irrational one. Because wasn’t that how these things went?   
  
Blurr was the weird, out of towner, exiled from his own home. Josiah was the local, established, son of a man who’s great-great-great-grandfather had helped build the town, or something of equal grandness. Josiah had never wanted for anything, didn’t even attend the university because he hadn’t needed to, and he’d fallen in love at first sight with Blurr.   
  
Or at least, that’s the story as he told it.   
  
“You know, I’m only offering because I care about you,” Josiah said, with that patented patience, that perfect wheedle.   
  
He took a step forward.   
  
A feathery wall appeared between them, cutting off Blurr’s view of his ex-lover, bright red and blue bristling with emotion.   
  
“I think it’s pretty clear by now that whatever you’re offering, he doesn’t want,” Starscream said, an edge of a growl in his voice. “Perhaps you are someone who needs to learn how to graciously heed a rejection.”   
  
“Who are you to interfere?” Josiah demanded. “This is none of your business.”   
  
“I’m his friend and right now, it doesn’t look like you are much of one.” Starscream’s tone was carefully even, but Blurr had been around him long enough to hear the underlying threat in it. “Though if I’ve overstepped, he will let me know.”   
  
“You haven’t overstepped,” Blurr murmured, only loud enough for Starscream to hear. He drew in a slow, steadying breath and rested a hand on Starscream’s back, pushing his gratitude through the light touch. “Just go home, Josiah. Move on. We aren’t anything anymore.”   
  
Gravel crunched again, and Starscream tensed.   
  
“Will you just talk to me?” Josiah asked, and his voice wavered just enough that for a moment, Blurr was tempted.   
  
Starscream, however, outright growled. “It sounds to me like he doesn’t want to. So why don’t you just go home, human?”   
  
Josiah, unexpectedly brave, held his ground. “Blurr?”   
  
He didn’t look. He refused to look. He wouldn’t let himself look.   
  
“No, Josiah,” he answered. “Go home.”   
  
Josiah growled in frustration, and Blurr didn’t have to see him to know he was raking his hand through his hair. “Fine. But you know where to find me when you change your mind.”   
  
He stomped away, the crunch of his boots on the pavement absurdly loud in the late night air. Blurr winced as he heard the loud rumble of the old truck’s engine coming to life, and the screech of tires as Josiah backed out and whipped the vehicle out of the parking lot.   
  
Blurr didn’t breathe until he was sure Josiah was gone, and then his knees turned to jelly. He didn’t know if he would have stumbled or not, because Starscream turned around and rested a hand on his shoulder.   
  
“Are you all right?” he asked, his concern a thousand times more genuine than Josiah’s.   
  
“I’m fine,” Blurr lied. He would be. Eventually.   
  
He hadn’t seen Josiah since they officially broke up. Since Josiah didn’t attend the university, and Blurr didn’t go into the town proper, their paths didn’t cross. Coach had banned him from attending Blurr’s practice or meets, and she had enough pull to ensure he couldn’t wheedle his way out of the bans.   
  
“He’s just unpleasant,” Blurr said.   
  
“He’s a jerk,” Starscream said with a snort. He glared in the direction of Josiah’s taillights. “I should have hit him.”   
  
Blurr sucked in a deep breath and shook his head. “It’s better that you didn’t.” He rubbed his clammy palms down his jeans. “Thanks, by the way. I mean, I could’ve handled him, but I think you were a pretty good deterrent.”   
  
The last thing he needed was either the campus security or the local police showing up at the 7-11 because two gay men were having a domestic in the parking lot. That was the kind of publicity Blurr didn’t need.   
  
“Primus, I need a drink,” Blurr muttered.   
  
He looked up, past Starscream, to see if anyone was paying them any attention. There was a cluster of what looked to be college students hovering near the DVD rental machine, a cloud of cigarette smoke around their heads. They weren’t paying him a bit of attention. One woman was at the pump, dark circles under her eyes, wearing a rumpled restaurant uniform.   
  
No one cared. Small favor.   
  
"Are you sure you're okay?" Starscream asked, worry radiating from every twitching feather, and the darker glow of his eyes.  
  
"Nothing a little whiskey won't cure," Blurr replied, planting a smile on his face. He tilted his head toward the store. "Come on. Let's get what we came here for."  
  
Starscream looked like he wanted to say something else, but changed his mind at the last minute. Instead he nodded and let Blurr lead the way.  
  
Usually, Blurr would take his time browsing. He'd let Starscream flitter around and examine anything he wanted, while asking numerous questions, and Blurr would walk out with a bag of the most bizarre assortment of items.  
  
This time, he headed straight for the beer and wine case in the back, picking out a selection with little fanfare, leaning toward the fruitier concoctions for Starscream to try. He tumbled a half-dozen bottles into the paper carrying tray and then beelined it toward the tiny selection of liquors they were allowed to stock. Two bottles of Jameson were tucked under his arm.  
  
Starscream must have sensed his mood. He didn't linger. He followed behind Blurr, eyes curious and contemplative, but he didn't stop to ask questions.  
  
Blurr grabbed a few things, tumbling them into Starscream's hands to hold. A pack of double-stuffed oreos, some pretzels, a bag of trail mix he knew Starscream liked, and he impulsively grabbed a shareable bag of peanut M&Ms as they passed the display.  
  
Blurr tumbled the entirety of his items onto the counter, and the bored kid behind the counter gave him a look with raised eyebrows.  
  
"Don't even ask," Blurr said as he pulled out his ID and his credit card.  
  
"I get it, man. I get it." The cashier held up his hands and dutifully started to ring up Blurr's purchases, stuffing them into bags.  
  
A feathery hand reached over Blurr's shoulder, adding a pack of Pixie Stix to the stack, and Blurr had to stifle a quiet chuckle. Starscream loved those things, and Blurr thought they were disgusting. Rathi, apparently, had been the one to introduce them to Starscream.  
  
The cashier held them up with a question, and when Blurr nodded, stuffed them into his bag. To his credit, he didn't even blink at the large, humanoid bird hovering by Blurr's right shoulder. Working the night shift at a 7-11, he'd probably seen weirder.  
  
Blurr paid and gathered up his bags, Starscream grabbing the heavier one before he could, and they left, the cashier calling out, "Good luck, dude!" as the door chimed them out.  
  
"You're not going to drink all of this, are you?" Starscream peered into the bag, frowning with disapproval.  
  
"Some of it's for you."  
  
Starscream wrinkled his nose. "That's still a lot."  
  
Blurr's heart warmed at his concern. "I know. Don't worry. I'm not going to drink it all. Some of it’s for a later day."  
  
Starscream still looked doubtful, but he didn't say anything else. Which was a relief, because Blurr didn't feel like justifying his very, very rare instances of over-indulgence.  
  
They made it back to his dorm without incident. It was unfortunate because at any other time, Blurr would have enjoyed the late night walk. It was a clear night, without a cloud in the sky, and the moon was bright and full. The air had the crispiness of autumn to it, and normally, it would have brought him peace.  
  
There was too much turmoil churning his belly right now for that to work.  
  
He dumped his bookbag in his desk chair, dropped the bags on the floor in front of his wardrobe, and started yanking blankets and pillows off the bed to form a large nest on the ground, in front of his TV. He tossed his remotes into it, though he probably wouldn't bother watching TV, and kicked off his shoes in the general direction of his door.  
  
Comfort achieved, Blurr tugged off his hoodie, shoved it into his closet, and then dove into the nest, wriggling around until he found the perfect mix of cover and not-cover.  
  
Starscream watched him silently, his winter coat seeming even fluffier. "Is this a human custom I am unfamiliar with?"  
  
"I dunno. Don't harpies have bad days?" Blurr asked. He patted the open space next to him and ripped open the bag of Oreos. "Come on. Join me."  
  
"Harpies have bad days," Starscream said. He cocked his head at Blurr before he lowered himself down, joining Blurr on the blanket nest.  
  
He handed over the plastic bag and Blurr dug through it, setting aside one of the bottles of whiskey and a hard apple cider for himself. For Starscream, he pulled out a pina colada wine cooler and popped off the top.  
  
"Here. Try this. Tell me what you think," he said.  
  
Starscream took the bottle and gave it a ginger sniff. "Interesting," he murmured before he tipped the bottle back and took a long sip. He swallowed and licked his lips.  
  
"Well?"  
  
"It's not entirely unpleasant." Starscream hummed and took another drink. "It is bubbly. Our mead is not like this. It is more like syrup, heavy and thick."  
  
"Oh, I've had mead before. It's good stuff." Blurr shoved an Oreo into his mouth, leaned back against a tower of pillows, and twisted open the whiskey. He grabbed the bag of trail mix and Pixie Stix, handing both to Starscream. "For you."  
  
"Thank you." Starscream's crest feathers fluttered, his lips curving into a pleased smile. "Will you be all right?"  
  
Blurr leaned back and crunched on another cookie. "It was just an unpleasant surprise is all. I’ll get over it." He shrugged and hoped Starscream dropped it.  
  
The harpy gave him a long look, but didn't push. Instead, he got more comfortable in the nest and ripped open the bag of trail mix, immediately rooting out the dried dates first. He was particularly fond of those.  
  
"All right." Blurr kicked back and took a shot of his whiskey. It burned all the way down, and set up a nice warmth in his stomach. "You've now met two of my past partners. I think it's about time you return the favor."  
  
Starscream's expression dimmed. "I'm not sure you would be interested."  
  
"If I wasn't, I wouldn't have asked."  
  
"Harpies can be very different, Blurr." Starscream paused and amended, "Well, at least in my birth aerie. Kaon has taken on some more human leanings, I've noticed." He took a long sip of his wine cooler.  
  
Blurr nodded slowly. He grabbed the pretzels, tearing them open. "Can you talk about it? I mean, I don't want to open any old wounds or anything, but I mean, I'm curious."  
  
Starscream offered him a crooked smile. "I have my own Josiah, so to speak. But I've also had other lovers who are far more memorable."  
  
"Do share." Blurr grinned around a mouthful of pretzels.  
  
Starscream chuckled quietly. "I will say that things were much different back in Vos. Smols, like myself, were not allowed to... flitter about as we pleased. Unsurprisingly, I often ignored those little rules."  
  
"No. You?" Blurr laughed as well and capped the whiskey, reaching for his cider instead.  
  
"I know. Hard to believe, isn't it?" Starscream's smile softened a bit. "I had my fair share of playmates who were smols like myself, but none of them remarkable. There was, however, a harpy named Deathsaurus. He was part of a visiting entertainment troupe, and he was exactly the kind of harpy my parents warned me about."  
  
Blurr hummed thoughtfully. "A bad boy, hm?"  
  
"Depends on what you mean by 'bad'." Starscream contemplated his bottle before he took another drink. "Deathsaurus was strong and charming, but what would really horrify my parents was the fact he's a raptor."  
  
"A raptor?"  
  
Starscream took in a deep breath, his forehead furrowing. "Raptors are harpies, but they're a more... primitive race, I suppose. Some view them as lesser because of it. But they're stronger, faster, and larger than us, their feathered kin."  
  
Blurr's eyebrows crawled up toward his hairline. "Wow. And he was a good... lover?"  
  
"Very much so." Starscream's smirk was practically a preen, but it softened with memory. "I was disappointed when he left."  
  
"You didn't try to go with him?"  
  
"I didn't want to." Starscream's shoulders lifted in a shrug. His gaze wandered, his mouth buried behind the curve of the bottle. "Traveling endlessly did not match my personal goals. I saw him twice after, and each time was a gift, but it was never anything more."  
  
The look of fondness on Starscream's face was apparent. Blurr knew that emotion all too well. Regret was always born of complicated situations.  
  
Blurr nodded slowly. "That's the way life goes, I guess. Anyone else?" He tipped his bottle back, draining the cider quickly, before he reached for the whiskey for a couple more shots.  
  
"A few," Starscream hedged. He toyed with his bottle, and tipped more of the trail mix into his mouth, crunching the nut mixture.  
  
"All back in Vos?" Blurr asked, and was that an edge of jealousy in his voice. He hoped not. He burned it away with a shot of whiskey.  
  
Starscream shook his head. "Most of them, yes. But there are a few here in Kaon."  
  
"Oh?" Blurr hoped he sounded casual enough.  
  
Starscream chuckled. "I don't know if I've drank enough of these to be that revealing yet." He wiggled the bottle, sloshing the liquid around.  
  
"Then finish it. I'll get you another." Blurr dug around in the plastic bag and pulled out a strawberry ale he thought Starscream might like. He popped the cap and handed it over, just as Starscream finished the wine cooler.  
  
"Are you trying to get me drunk?" Starscream asked.  
  
"Trying to see if you even can." Blurr saluted him with the whiskey bottle, took another swig, and pulled out a handful of double-stuffed Oreos.  
  
Starscream laughed, and something in his amusement unknotted the tension Josiah had left in Blurr's belly. "I definitely can though whether or not your alcohol is capable of it, I don't know. We can certainly find out."  
  
"Tell me something else then, if you're going to be coy about your ex-boyfriends," Blurr said as the alcohol settled hot and languid in his belly. He sank a bit further in his nest of blankets.  
  
Starscream’s tongue flicked across his lips. “All right.” His gaze went distant again, as though he was thinking very hard. “It is not uncommon in Vos for matings to be pre-arranged. I didn’t like one of my suitors, so I purposefully made a complete mess of our first meeting, hoping he’d withdraw his bid.”   
  
Blurr’s lips twitched. He could well imagine Starscream turning off the charm in order to scare someone away. “Did it work?”   
  
“No.” Starscream’s tone was flat. Pained. He stared hard at the wall as he tipped the bottle back and drained half of it at once. “As it turned out, he liked a challenge. I ended up his for the next mating season.”   
  
Amusement drained out of Blurr. “Is that--”  
  
“When I left?” Starscream’s gaze flicked to his, a sense of commiseration in the glance. “Yes.”   
  
Blurr sucked his bottom lip into his mouth. He dared inch closer to Starscream, until their hips touched and the warmth of their bodies came together.   
  
“Your Josiah?”   
  
Starscream tipped his head back and drank the rest of his strawberry ale. “Mm.” He smacked his lips, looked at the bottle, and set it aside. He lifted his arm and draped it over Blurr, much like he had in the library.   
  
He probably should have protested. He didn’t want to. Starscream’s warmth felt good. He smelled sweet and comforting. Right now, they both kind of needed it.   
  
“Then I’m glad you came here instead,” Blurr murmured. He capped the whiskey and flipped the flap on the Oreos shut.   
  
Starscream’s hand rested on Blurr’s shoulder, as if in a protective curve. “I am, too.”   
  
They fell asleep like that, in the middle of a nest of blankets, alcohol, and unhealthy treats, on Blurr’s dormroom floor.   
  
It was one of the best nights of sleep he’d ever had.   
  


*


	7. Chapter 7

Blurr was somewhere between awake and dozing when his bed both creaked and dipped, and warm lips pressed a kiss to the back of his neck. He hummed and turned his head, lifting it from the pillow as damp, shower-warm skin pressed against his. 

“You’re insatiable,” Blurr murmured. 

“You’re lying here in just your underwear with this fine ass pointed at me, what else am I supposed to think?” TJ laughed and palmed Blurr’s boxer-briefs to accentuate his point. 

Blurr grinned and finished turning, right into TJ’s arms and into his lips, for a soft and savoring kiss that tasted of mint toothpaste. 

“Well, it was an open invitation,” he said against TJ’s mouth and a laugh vibrated against his lips. 

TJ slid onto the bed next to him, throwing a leg over Blurr’s, warm and naked skin sliding across his. He smelled fresh and clean, like Blurr’s body wash, and Blurr couldn’t help the possessive surge that rose in his belly. He turned into TJ’s hold, onto his back, and cupped a hand around TJ’s head, fingers threading through the thin braids. 

“You are irresistible when you want to be,” TJ replied before he slipped back, easing out of the kiss, amusement dancing in his eyes. “Even if you did call me at the asscrack of dawn.” 

Blurr rolled his eyes. “As if I didn’t catch you right when you came back from your run.” 

“Mmm. Guilty as charged.” TJ’s thigh rubbed over his, wiry bits of hair faintly itchy against Blurr’s shaved legs. “Though it’s a curious thing that you did.” 

Blurr wriggled to get more comfortable in the bed, haphazardly put back together after he’d pulled all the blankets from it last night. He’d less made it more than he threw the various bits of bedding over the mattress. He’d probably have to launder them after their activities this morning anyway. 

The whole room smelled of sex. Not unpleasant, but definitely present. TJ’s cologne clung to the blankets, and Blurr took comfort from that. From TJ, truth be told. After Starscream left, Blurr had only managed to endure twenty minutes of lonely silence before he’d called TJ. 

He’d spent far too much time thinking about Josiah. 

“What? I can’t call up a best friend on the weekend?” Blurr asked. 

“Of course you can, if that’s the reason you did.” TJ gave him a stern look, raised eyebrows and everything. “So. Now that we’ve gotten the fun parts out of the way, want to tell me what happened?” 

Blurr furrowed his brow. “What are you talking about?” 

TJ braced his head on his hand, planting his elbow into the mattress with an audible creak of the springs. “You’ve spent most of your time with Starscream lately.” 

“And?” 

“And you only call me when you’re upset.” TJ’s free hand flattened on Blurr’s belly, rubbing a slow, warm path over it. “I’m not bitching at you about that, by the way. I know the score. I’m just worried.” 

Blurr’s insides did a tumultuous flip. He sucked on his bottom lip and tossed his arm over his eyes. “I ran into Josiah,” he admitted. There was no point in lying to TJ. Somehow, he always seemed to know when Blurr was. 

A growl, not unlike Starscream’s, rose up in TJ’s throat. He stopped petting Blurr for a moment before he started up again. “Did you now?” 

“Yeah. And he had a lot to say.” Per the usual. Blurr wanted to snort, but that thickness was back in his throat, and the tremble he thought he’d vanquished, tried to return with a vengeance. 

TJ sucked on his teeth. “You should have let me punch him.” 

Blurr snorted and lowered his arm. “Starscream said the same thing.” 

“He was there?” Both of TJ’s eyebrows tried to climb into his hairline, not incredulous, but more impressed. 

Blurr tried a grin, but it came out crooked. “He doesn’t like Josiah much either.” 

“That’s my kind of bird then.” 

A soft laugh escaped Blurr, strained though it was. TJ had been instrumental in getting Josiah to back off. He’d been the one to bring the situation up to Coach Sylvester when Blurr had balked because he hadn’t wanted to cause drama. 

TJ leaned closer, lips grazing over Blurr's temple. "I'm glad you called me then," he murmured.

"Well, I missed you," Blurr said, tucking his arm behind his head and wriggling closer, trying to encourage more of the touching.

"Uh huh. Sure." TJ obliged, his hand sliding down Blurr's belly to tease at the hem of his boxer-briefs.

It was so relaxed, so easy between them. Blurr had lost count of the number of times he'd considered trying to make it something more permanent. And the same amount of times he'd dismissed the wild fancy.

"You're still planning on graduate school, right?" Blurr asked, attempting to make the question light, but not managing to completely hide the edge in his tone.

Josiah had really left him rattled.

"Yep." TJ's mouth tasted the curve of Blurr's jaw before venturing to the crook of his neck, while his palm skated over the bulge at Blurr's groin. His dick twitched with interest, despite the regret coiling in his heart.

"In Iacon?"

TJ's hand slid back to Blurr's belly, lying flat and mostly chaste. He lifted his head, his brown eyes soft and sad. "Blurr, don't let Josiah get into your head, man. There are plenty of people around here who have no idea what they're going to do after graduation. You'll figure it out."

"Yeah. Probably," Blurr said, and he doubted TJ believed him anymore than Blurr believed himself. But he curled his hand around the back of TJ's head and tugged him back down for a kiss. It was much better than discussing improbable futures.

TJ made a conceding hum and deepened the kiss, his tongue sliding into Blurr's mouth with slow, careful intent. Blurr rolled his hips, trying to encourage TJ's hand to go back to a more useful location, and TJ chuckled against his mouth.

"Didn't we just get clean?" he asked.

"What? You got better plans today?" Blurr retorted, arching an eyebrow.

TJ leaned over him, bracing his weight on one hand to crowd Blurr beneath his broader shoulders. His dreads fell over his shoulder, the ends of them tickling Blurr's bare chest.

"Better than spending all day with you beneath me? I don't think such a thing exists," he teased. One knee slid between Blurr's thighs, scooting up and up and up until it nudged his groin, a faint pressure against his scrotum.

Blurr shivered, a lazy heat winding up his spine. "I expect to be spoiled," he groaned.

"You always do." TJ laughed and sealed their mouths together again, his hips sinking down, rolling his thickening bulge against Blurr's hipbone.

Mmm. Yes. Much better topic than Blurr's lack of future planning.

Tap. Tap. Tap. Arrhythmic, one after the other, the rattling noise caught Blurr's attention. And TJ's apparently, as he ended the kiss and lifted his head.

"What's that?"

Tap, tap,  _clunk_.

Blurr winced. He had an idea of what it might be. He rolled out from under TJ much reluctantly and peered through the blinds of the window, looking down. Sure enough, Starscream waved up at him from the ground, a bright grin on his face as he let a small handful of acorns drop to the ground.

TJ leaned over him, chin hooked on his shoulder, peering through the gap in the blinds. "Is that Starscream?"

"That's his way of sending a text to let me know he's here," Blurr said as he let the blinds shut and sank face-first into the bed.

TJ chuckled. "That's adorable." He tilted his head, exhaling over Blurr's ear. "Has he gained weight?"

Blurr snorted. "He's getting his winter coat. It makes him fluffier. And for the love of Primus, don't tell him he looks fat."

"Something tells me you've already made that mistake." TJ laughed and slid back, taking the warmth of his chest away from Blurr's shoulders. "Did you know he was coming?"

"No. He went back to the aerie just this morning after staying all night." Blurr swept a hand through his hair, still damp from his earlier shower. "He didn't say he was coming back."

"Aw. He's worried about you." TJ scooted off the bed and bent down, rooting his jeans off the pile on the floor.

Blurr frowned. "You're leaving?"

TJ tugged up his jeans, and Blurr lamented the disappearance of his glorious hipbones. "I think giant bird best friends take precedence."

"They do not." Blurr slid to the edge of the bed, legs dangling over.

TJ snagged his tee and pulled it on as well. "Yes, they do." He leaned over Blurr, planting a kiss on his forehead. "Come on. Get dressed. Can't have you tempting the whole dorm by walking out there in your underwear."

Blurr rolled his eyes, but obeyed. He couldn't walk out there mostly naked after all. But he didn't plan on staying outside, Starscream would just have to come up. So he pulled on a tank and a pair of ratty sweatpants while TJ dug his jacket out from the pile of Blurr's discarded clothes on his desk chair.

"You're cute when you're pouting."

"I'm not pouting." Blurr pointed at his groin and half-hard bulge behind his sweatpants. "You're the one leaving me with this."

TJ laughed again. "That will go down on it's own if you give it enough time. Or. Here's a thought." He held up his hands and wiggled his fingers. "Take care of it yourself."

"Why should I when I have you right here in front of me?" Blurr grumbled.

Rap-rap-tap.

They both looked at the door.

"How'd he get in?" TJ asked.

Blurr sighed and moved to the door, TJ hot on his heels. "He's a celebrity around here. Everyone knows him by now. Someone probably let him in."

"I want to meet him."

"You've met him."

"Not officially." TJ crowded against his back, resting his hands on Blurr's shoulders to peer around him.

It was universally unfair that TJ was taller than him. Blurr wasn't exactly short, but TJ should have been a basketball player.

Starscream knocked again just as Blurr flicked the lock and turned the handle, opening the door, with TJ attached to his back like some sort of bizarre backpack. Starscream peeked around the edge of the door before it was fully open, his face drawn with concern, and then confusion, no doubt because he’d spotted TJ. 

“Um.” 

“Don’t mind him,” Blurr said with an audible, heavy sigh. He tried to step backward, make room for Starscream to come inside, but TJ had become an immovable object. “He’s pretending like he’s never met you before.” 

Starscream straightened and tilted his head. “Not directly, I don’t think,” he said with a quiet, stilted laugh. “He’s one of your teammates, yes?” 

“That’s one word you can use,” TJ stuck a hand over Blurr’s shoulder toward Starcream. “Tyrael Jonathon Weeks, at your service, and his, too, from time to time.” 

“TJ!” Blurr hissed and jerked an elbow backward, aiming for TJ’s belly, but the bastard sucked his stomach in and twisted out of the way, leaving Blurr to strike at air. 

Starscream blinked before his lips curved into a light smile, a chuckle spilling free. “Nice to meet you, Tyrael. You already know my name.” He accepted TJ’s offered hand, giving it a firm shake. “I’ve watched you race a couple of times. You’re very fast.” 

“Well, not as fast as Blurr here.” TJ’s free hand clapped on Blurr’s shoulder demonstratively. He slipped his other hand free of Starscream’s and planted it on Blurr’s other shoulder. “He’s our shining star.” 

Blurr had no idea what was going on here, but he had a feeling it was happening over his head. He heard more than saw TJ’s grin, and Starscream’s head was cocked, his expression curious. 

"He is pretty amazing," Starscream agreed as Blurr's face burned with embarrassment.

"I'm glad you think so, too." TJ planted his chin on Blurr's shoulder, curving an arm around his waist to rest a palm on his belly. "I think that means you and I are going to be great friends."

Starscream chuckled, but it sounded strained. "I can always use more friends. And any friend of Blurr's is a friend of mine." His gaze flicked to TJ, and there was something in it Blurr couldn't identify.

TJ patted Blurr on the belly, turned his head, and planted a quick kiss on Blurr's cheek. "Well, that's probably my cue to go then. You two have plans."

"Not really," Blurr said, as Starscream spoke up, "I wouldn't think to intrude. I just came by to check on Blurr, see his progress on that paper."

TJ gasped in mock outrage. "Blurr! Were you using me as a distraction from your schoolwork?" He slid off Blurr's back and leaned around to meet his gaze. "I'm shocked and appalled. I feel so used."

Blurr rolled his eyes and shoved TJ's face away from his, stepping out of his friend's reach. "Don't even start."

"You can't tell me what to do." TJ straightened and made a show of adjusting his clothes. He playfully waggled a finger. "You have homework, mister."

"You don't have to leave," Blurr said.

TJ scoffed. "As if you could concentrate with this within reach." He gestured to himself pointedly. "Not that I could blame you, I mean, I am pretty hot stuff."

"Oh Primus, get out," Blurr groaned, taking TJ by the shoulders and steering him toward the door, Starscream angling out of the way to let TJ pass.

TJ outright laughed, but let himself be pushed. "Nice officially meeting you, Starscream. You're going to take care of my boy, right?"

"I can take care of myself!" Blurr said, his face blazing as he yanked Starscream inside and grabbed the door, preparing to close it in TJ's face if he kept up with this ridiculousness.

"Of course I am," Starscream replied with a small dip of his head. "He's a most cherished friend."

TJ's grin was blinding, and his gaze flicked to Blurr. "This one's a good egg, Dae. Don't let him go."

"I'll call you later," Blurr said, and shut the door before TJ could say anything else mortifying.

Not that it stopped him.

"Good luck with your paper!" TJ sang through the door, and the inflection he added on the last word implied something other than schoolwork.

Ass.

"Go home," Blurr shouted through the door before rolling his eyes and turning back toward Starscream, who was giving him a look with two raised eyebrows. "What?"

The harpy stared for a moment longer before he slipped into a low chuckle. "I like your friend." He glanced over Blurr, gaze seeming to linger on Blurr's collarbone before lifting again. "He's very sweet."

"Sweet is the exact opposite of what he is. TJ is a menace." Blurr snorted and wiped his palms on his thighs. "Did Perceptor get his books?"

Starscream nodded slowly. "Indeed. And then I came back here."

"Why?" Blurr asked, and quickly amended, "Not that I'm upset or anything, it's just, you know, a long flight for you. And I'm okay. I promise."

"No, you are not." Starscream's tone was firm. He took a step closer, gently resting his hands on Blurr's shoulders. "Yesterday was very unpleasant for you, I know. So I am here in case you want the company." He paused, and his grin was crooked. "And also because you do need to finish that paper, and I am willing to assist."

Blurr groaned and slid away from Starscream, though he instantly mourned the loss of heat and comfort. "I honestly don't care about that assignment anymore."

"Don't you need it to graduate?"

"It's only a quarter of my grade," Blurr said.

Starscream sighed, and Blurr could feel the disapproval radiating outward from twitching feathers. "Apathy doesn't suit you."

"In the grand scheme of things, one stupid paper is not going to be important."

"No, perhaps not in the grand scheme, but for right now, yes, it's important."

"Why?" Blurr demanded, pushing past Starscream to move further into the room. He picked up discarded clothing to shove into the laundry basket. "It's not like I have any plans for the future. I don't have a job lined up. I don't even care about this degree."

Silence.

At least until Blurr dropped his armful into the basket and turned, suddenly face to feathers, and arms coming around him, pulling him into an embrace. The scent of berries and ozone -- there must be a storm coming -- surrounded him. It wasn't until he pressed to Starscream's chest, that he realized he was shaking.

Starscream's chest rumbled beneath his cheek, like a purr, and it was unexpectedly soothing. Feathers tickled over Blurr's back and shoulders. Starscream didn't say anything, and Blurr was glad for it, because words weren't helpful right now. But the hug was everything, and Blurr relaxed into it, bringing his arms up to return the embrace.

"I'm sorry," Blurr muttered against Starscream's chest. He clutched at Starscream's back, fingers threading through the softness of Starscream's feathers, a wave of comfort washing through his body.

"You have nothing to apologize for," Starscream said. He tilted his head down, brushing his cheek over the top of Blurr's head. "I understand."

"Yeah, but I shouldn't yell at you about it."

Starscream made a noncommittal noise. "You're forgiven."

Blurr sighed and scrubbed his face against Starscream's abdomen. "I'll work on the damn paper."

A quiet chuckle rumbled in Starscream's ear. "And I will help you. So get dressed."

"What? Why?" He looked up, eyes narrowing. "Is there something wrong with my current outfit?"

Starscream leaned back, granting him some space, eyebrow arched. "Well, if you want to go into public wearing your pajamas, that's your prerogative."

"I wasn't planning on leaving my room," Blurr retorted.

"You can't hide in here either," Starscream said in a firm tone. He planted his hands on his hips.

Blurr crossed his arms. "Who said I'm hiding?"

"I do. Trust me, I know. I've been there." Starscream's hand slid down, his eyes darkening as he looked distant. "I hid a day before I decided I wouldn't hide anymore."

Blurr chewed on his bottom lip and folded his arms. He hunched his shoulders.

“Fine.” He pulled open his wardrobe and grabbed the first clean, non-pajama clothes within reach. Other people might be fine with wearing their night clothes on campus over a weekend, but Blurr was not one of them.

Starscream hovered nearby.

Blurr yanked a shirt off a hanger. “You don’t have to look over my shoulder, you know. It’s not like I’m going to dive into the wardrobe and appear in another world."

“What in the world does that mean?"

Off went the tank, on went the t-shirt, Blurr balling up the tank and throwing it into the bottom of his closet. “Never mind. It’s a book reference."

"Fiction, I assume?"

"Yeah. I’m sure the library has it.” Some of the anger leaked out of Blurr. After all, it wasn’t Starscream he was angry it. “You’d probably like it. There’s a whole series of them, and technically, it’s written for kids, but I dunno.” He shrugged and pulled out his favorite pair of jeans. “Sometimes kids books are better."

"They still qualify as literature," Starscream replied. "Would you like to go to the library or do you want to go elsewhere? I was thinking the Union."

Blurr laughed and kicked off his sweatpants. "You just want coffee and cinnamon rolls," he said as he went to shove into his jeans. "Not that I'm-- whoa!"

His balance failed him, toe tangled on an inner seam of the jeans. Blurr wobbled, felt himself tilting backward, but before he landed ass first on the ground, large hands caught him, talons gently pressing against his skin. He looked up at Starscream, leaning over him, their faces inches apart. It was a face framed by feathers and a bit of a beaked nose, but a familiar face which set his heart to thumping.

Heat instantly flooded Blurr's cheeks. "Oops."

Starscream chuckled. "Are you still hungover? That was uncharacteristically clumsy of you."

"I might be," Blurr admitted. No way would he admit the burn in his face was anything but embarrassment. "Thanks, by the way. Good catch."

"You're welcome." Starscream lifted him back upright and tugged him into his jeans like he was a child. "You need looking after, Blurr." He swept a hand over Blurr's head, brushing some hair out of his face. "You're a bit of a mess."

Blurr snorted. "Yeah, tell me something I don't know." He zipped up and buttoned before offering Starscream a grin. "Good thing I have you then, right?"

"Right." Starscream cupped his jaw and tugged him in for a brief kiss to the forehead, one that happened so fast Blurr barely had a moment to process it before Starscream let him go and pulled away. "Now let's go to the Union. My treat."

"And how are you going to manage that?"

Starscream reached for something tied to his waist, which Blurr noticed belatedly. He dug around in it and produced an ID card. "I borrowed this from Perceptor as payback. He's the only one who actually has an expense account."

Blurr laughed as he stuffed the things he'd need into his backpack, including his laptop. “I’ll have to offer him my gratitude then.” 

“I’m the one who flew out here to treat you!” Starscream sniffed theatrically, and the card disappeared back into what was pretty much a fanny back. Brightly colored and everything. Blurr wondered who’d given it to him. 

He didn’t have to wonder long. This had Rathi written all over it. The woman was evil. Pure evil. 

“Yes, you did. And thank you for that.” Blurr swung his backpack over his shoulder, groaning under the weight of the books. “Come on. Let’s get this over with.” 

Starscream laughed and followed him. “You act like you’re being led to your doom.” 

“Sometimes, it feels like that.” 

In his pocket, Blurr’s phone chimed with a text message. He pulled it out, skimming the contents, and swallowed a laugh and an eyeroll. 

‘ _Bros before hos everytime, Dae_ ,’ TJ had sent, and he’d added the winking emoji as well. 

Blurr was going to murder him. He tucked his phone away, warmth blooming within him. He felt… better. Not fully accomplished or decided or focused, but better. 

Josiah might have been right in accusing Blurr of not having any future plans. But TJ was right, too. He still had time. 

He’d figure something out. 

***

 


	8. Chapter 8

Blurr continued through his last year as an undergraduate at Kaon University, still with very little clue about his future but with no choice except to move forward. The only true change was that he had a pretty harpy as a companion now, instead of spending most of his time alone or with one night stands.   
  
A gorgeous harpy, by the way, who was quickly turning into a temptation Blurr should have found much easier to resist.   
  
Starscream visited with more regularity, showing up on Friday afternoons and not leaving until Sunday morning, giving Blurr the time he needed to do his schoolwork. Or at least the bit he bothered to pay attention to. It was nice to have a guest every weekend, rather than spending them alone.   
  
People became accustomed to Blurr and his harpy shadow.   
  
His much fluffier harpy shadow.   
  
Starscream hadn’t been joking when he said he’d only poof out more. His winter coat came in full, doubling the mane around his shoulders and throat, thickening the feathers on his sides and thighs. His arm wings even had longer, thicker feathers. It all made him appear very… robust.   
  
By the time they had their first snow fall, Starscream was fully winterized, and Blurr marveled at how soft and warm he looked. He was a bit jealous because he had to kit himself out in heavy boots, gloves, and a peacoat just to feel marginally warm. He hated winter.   
  
Didn’t stop him from going for his morning run, however. He had to stay in shape. The winter qualifiers were coming up in a week or two, and he had to prove he was worth his scholarship. He was certain he’d qualify, just as he was sure he’d win at districts and regionals, but nationals? Only if he kept training as hard as possible.   
  
And stop staying up late on the weekends with Starscream, watching bad Sci-Fi movies and binging on pastries, popcorn, and candy.   
  
At least campus maintenance had been diligent in keeping the sidewalks and main thoroughfares thoroughly de-iced. Blurr could jog without worrying about slipping and breaking something important.   
  
So he laced into his runners, popped his mp3 player into his pocket, tugged on his earbuds and left before the sun crested the horizon. The air was so cold it puffed from his lips in little gray bursts.   
  
This was his favorite time to run. The chill invigorated him, though it went away as he warmed up, and campus was so quiet it was as if he had it all to himself.   
  
Well, he nearly did. Autumnal Equinox was upon them and as such, most of the staff and students had gone home for the holidays. Those who had homes to welcome them anyway. Blurr stayed on campus. Not that he had much other choice. Even Rathi and TJ had gone.   
  
A rock medley blasted in his ears, the steady rhythm something he could really move to. Though pop was better for an energetic morning run, he was in a foul, rock mood this morning.   
  
He hated the holidays. He couldn’t remember the last time he had a good one.   
  
No, that wasn’t strictly true. Blurr could remember. He had strong, vivid memories of a happier time, before the hate and the rejection set in. Now holidays only reminded him of the joy he didn’t have anymore.   
  
Holidays were for families!  
  
What was the point if you didn’t have one?   
  
Blurr growled and put on a burst of speed, hoping the burn in his calves, in his thighs, in his lungs, would chase away the rest. He focused on the sidewalk ahead of him, keeping watch for ice patches, and concentrated on the heavy beat of the music in his ears. It matched the rapid thuds of his heartbeat.   
  
 _Hey dad, look at me. Think back and talk to me. Did I grow up according to plan?_    
  
Blurr didn’t know if the tightness in his chest was because of his pace, or the emotions trying to swallow him.   
  
He ran harder.   
  
 _And do you think I’m wasting my time doing things I wanna do? But it hurts when you disapprove all along._    
  
Blurr stumbled and missed a beat, skidding to a halt in the middle of the sidewalk.   
  
 _And now I try hard to make it, I just wanna make you proud. I’m never gonna be good enough for you._    
  
He bent over, hands on his thighs, and tried to breathe. Everything ached, and his face was hot. He squeezed his eyes shut. He shoved a hand into his pocket, fumbling with the mp3 player, hands shaking as he sought the skip button.   
  
 _Can’t pretend that I’m alright. And you can’t--_  
  
The song skipped. Blurr sighed as shuffle careened right into something a little less emotional. He braced his hands on his thighs again and focused on his breathing.   
  
He really hated the holidays.   
  
Something grabbed his hips from behind.   
  
Blurr startled and might have shrieked, almost jumping out of his skin. His eyes snapped open as he lurched forward, away from whatever had touched him. He whipped a glare over his shoulder, fist cocked, ready to fight.   
  
Starscream. Of course it was Starscream. It was always Starscream.   
  
Blurr ripped off his earbuds. “Stop doing that!” His hands clenched into fists, and his heart pounded a mile a minute. “Primus, Starscream! Are you trying to give me a heart attack?”   
  
Starscream reared back and blinked. “I called your name twice.” He frowned. “You’ve been standing here awhile. Are you ill?”   
  
Blurr sucked in a slow breath and turned toward Starscream. “I’m fine.” He swept a hand through through his hair, pushing it back from his forehead. “What’re you doing here? It’s Tuesday.”   
  
“I can’t come on a Tuesday?” Starscream folded his arms. “Thought I’d surprise you.”   
  
“Yeah. Well. I’m surprised.” Blurr shoved his earbuds into his pocket. He felt unsteady, off his game, and as happy as he was to see Starscream, this wasn’t a good time.   
  
Starscream tilted his head. “Are you sure you’re okay? You seem paler than usual, and I’m pretty sure that’s not good for humans.”   
  
“I’m always pale.” Blurr shifted his weight as his legs started to hurt. The cooldown was such a bitch.   
  
He winced and leaned down to rub at his calves. The morning chill was no longer as welcome as it had been.   
  
“Am I bothering you again?” Starscream asked. His voice was very small, and Blurr hated the sound of it. Not because Starscream had an awful voice, but because it was a familiar tone.   
  
It was the tone of someone afraid of the consequences.   
  
Blurr shook his head. “No, you’re not. I swear.” He straightened and tried to smile, hoping it wasn’t lopsided. “I’m just…. Never mind. It doesn’t matter. I’m glad you’re here. Could use the company.”   
  
Starscream nibbled on his bottom lip. “Company I understand.” He looked around as he lowered his arms. “I know it’s early, but normally I see a lot more humans around. Where is everyone?”   
  
Blurr stretched his arms over his head and headed back the way he came. No point in finishing his route now. “Holiday break. Everyone’s gone home for the Autumnal Equinox. Well. Mostly everyone.”   
  
“Why didn’t you?” Starscream fell into step beside him, hands behind his back, fluffy feathers trailing across the cold ground.   
  
“I don’t go home,” Blurr said.   
  
“Why not?”   
  
“Because.” He really didn’t want to get into the whole sob story. “Anyway, everyone else is gonna be eating good, but I was planning on ordering some takeout. You’re welcome to join me for hot cocoa and vegetarian lo mein.”   
  
Starscream’s would be vegetarian. Blurr planned on ordering as much seafood as they could pile on there. Plus the crab rangoon. Normally he’d go for steak or chicken, but the smell of both tended to bother Starscream. Fish he was all right with, like the bird he was.   
  
“As long as I’m not a bother.”   
  
Blurr looked up at Starscream, nudging a fluffy arm with his own. “Never.”   
  
It would be nice to have company. Friendly company at that. It was either that or wallow in his own self-pity, crying over animated fairy tales while he drowned his emotions in whatever sweet treat he could get his hands on. He still had those bottles of whiskey as well, just to keep the memories at bay.   
  
How kind of Starscream to save him.   
  
“Then I’m glad I came early,” Starscream said in a brighter tone. “I don’t know the human holidays, but I do know that no one should ever spend any holiday alone, no matter what it is.”   
  
Blurr smiled. “I’m glad you came, too.”   
  
It was the Primus-given truth.   
  
They returned to Blurr’s dorm. The entire complex was quieter since the majority of the on-campus residents had booked it back home. Blurr’s footsteps echoed in the hallways; they didn’t have to wait for the elevator. No one manned the front desk. It would be eerie, if Blurr wasn’t used to it.   
  
“Welcome back to my humble abode,” Blurr said as he unlocked his room and gestured Starscream inside. “You know the drill.”   
  
“What drill?”  
  
“It’s a turn of phrase.” Blurr chuckled and tossed his keys into the small bin he kept near the door. They landed with a clang amid pocket lint and pocket change. “It means you can make yourself at home. Pick a movie or two. I’m going to change.”   
  
He heard the distinct fwump! as Starscream tossed himself onto Blurr’s single. “Can I watch?”   
  
Blurr stuck his head out of the standing wardrobe, where he’d been digging out something not soaked in sweat. “Watch what?”   
  
Starscream grinned, showing far too much teeth. “You change. What do you change into? Do humans shed their skins and morph like caterpillars?”   
  
Heat flooded Blurr’s face. “Change my clothes,” he said with a roll of his eyes. “You know good and well what that means.” He stuck his head back into the wardrobe to hide his blush. Otherwise Starscream would call him a tomato again.   
  
“True. Still doesn’t answer my question though.”   
  
Blurr almost dropped the pajama bottoms he’d pulled out. “No, you can’t watch me.”   
  
“Why not?”   
  
“Because now it’s…” Blurr searched for the right word and struggled to find one that fit. “Weird,” he finally decided. “Why did you have to ask anyway?”   
  
“Humans are interesting.”   
  
Blurr peeled out of his active pants and slipped into his sweatpants behind the safety of the wardrobe door. “I’ll buy you a medical textbook,” he said as he pulled off his tank and sweatshirt, too.   
  
“It’s not the same,” Starscream muttered.  
  
Blurr could have sworn he sounded like he was pouting.   
  
He leaned out of the wardrobe and sure enough, Starscream had that cute pout on his lips, even as he sprawled over the bed, staring in Blurr’s direction. There was something intense in the look. Something Blurr couldn’t define.   
  
Blurr grabbed the first t-shirt he laid fingers on and tugged it over his head. He closed the wardrobe with his hip as a chill prickled his skin. Damn dorm managers dropped the temperature since they assumed no one would be sticking around over the holidays.   
  
“Did you pick a movie?” Blurr asked.   
  
Starscream sat up and started fussing with the blankets and pillows, making something of a couch out of the low-slung bed. “No. I reserved that honor for you. Surprise me with something good.”   
  
Blurr crouched in front of the cabinet where he stuffed anything he considered entertainment. “Good as in award-winning or good as in worth watching?” Though the two weren’t necessarily mutually exclusive.   
  
“Worth watching.”   
  
“Still want cocoa?”   
  
“If you think I’ll like it.”   
  
Blurr plucked an action flick from the case and stood up. “I know you will, Mr. Sweet Tooth,” he teased as he put the case on top of the DVD player and switched gears to making the cocoa.   
  
It was only the instant powder stuff, but it was better than nothing. Blurr couldn’t afford to rent one of the apartments, so he had to settle for whatever he could make in the microfridge or when he wanted to spend time in the communal kitchen. The latter wasn’t his first choice though.   
  
The moment he started cooking, fellow dormmates started appearing out of the woodwork, drawn by the good smells. They all wanted to bum a bite or a bowl or a plate and they wheedled and offered all kinds of things. Damn scavengers.   
  
“So what kind of holiday is it?” Starscream asked as Blurr filled two mugs with water from the tap and popped them into the microwave.   
  
“Umm, it’s one of the few global ones,” Blurr explained. He pulled out marshmallows and cool whip from the fridge. “The Autumnal Equinox is a harvest celebration, I guess. You’re supposed to give thanks for everything you have. It’s non-secular but everyone knows it.”   
  
“Non-secular?”   
  
“That means it’s not based on a religion.”   
  
The mugs danced in the microwave, like they were chasing each other, as they circled on the revolving plate. Blurr’s bright blue mug had white clouds on it, and Starscream’s black mug with Batman on it.   
  
The bed rustled as Starscream shifted around, still fussing with the blankets and pillows. He dragged out more from beneath the bed. Blurr kept all the spares there, especially for when Starscream stayed over and Blurr had to make a pallet on the floor.   
  
“Are you religious?”   
  
Blurr shook his head. “Not really. I mean, I’m sure there’s something out there, but I don’t think it’s anything that we already worship. Or maybe it’s a combination of them all. I don’t really know.” He leaned a hip against the wall near the sink, waiting for the microwave to finish. “What about you? Do harpies have a god?”   
  
“Depends on what you mean by god.” Starscream lounged back against his mound of pillows, looking both comfortable and fluffy. “We call on Adaptus and honor him yearly. But we don’t worship him.”   
  
The microwave dinged. Blurr retrieved the cups, dumping a packet of instant cocoa into each. “Do you want marshmallows or whipped cream?”   
  
“Can I have both?”   
  
Blurr chuckled. “Sure.” Why did he bother asking? He should have known.   
  
Cocoa prepared, Blurr joined Starscream on the bed, a little shiver passing through him. It was so damn chilly in here, but he hated having to layer up inside his own room. He’d catch a cold out of sheer stubbornness apparently.   
  
“Marshmallows and whipped cream for you, just whipped cream for me.” Blurr handed Starscream the larger of the two cups, with a wider handle for thicker, longer harpy talons.   
  
Blurr had been so delighted when he’d found that cup in a dollar store. Starscream had been complaining about how he couldn’t hold any of the others. He’d been fascinated by the symbol on it, too, and insisted Blurr tell him everything he knew about Batman, which admittedly wasn’t much. Blurr had never been into comics.   
  
Watching the movies, however, had entertained Starscream for the better part of a day, enabling Blurr to get some much needed homework done.   
  
“Mmm. Smells good.” Starscream all but stuck his nose into the cup, taking in a big whiff. “Thank you.”   
  
Primus did he have to be so adorable? It wasn’t fair.   
  
“It’s nothing special.” Blurr shrugged. “Homemade stuff is a lot better, but this is a good substitute.”   
  
Starscream grinned and looked at him, only to blink.   
  
“You’re pointy,” he said.   
  
Blurr blinked. “What?”   
  
Starscream’s grin widened. He reached for Blurr and dragged a knuckle over Blurr’s chest, over his right nipple. “Pointy,” he said.   
  
Blurr was too late to fight off a shiver, and couldn’t do anything about the shock of arousal that lashed through his body. He’d always been sensitive there, and now was no exception.   
  
Blurr jerked back and covered himself with his arm, feeling like a woman who’d had her swimsuit ripped off by some asshole. “I’m cold,” he snapped, and damn if he didn’t blush. “That’s normal.”   
  
“Is it?” Starscream cocked one of his feathery eyebrows, or whatever they were, and peered at Blurr’s chest. His face was within inches of it. “Really? Why?”   
  
“I don’t know. I’m not a doctor. It just happens.” Starscream’s curiosity was going to be the end of him. There was only so much unintentional teasing Blurr could take. “Now scoot over. I need some of that blanket.”   
  
“Because you’re cold.” Starscream wriggled but didn’t make anything that could be construed as room for Blurr. “Well, I’m quite warm.” He held out an arm of very fluffy feathers. “Truce?”   
  
Starscream looked up at Blurr with what had to be the most innocent expression the harpy had in his arsenal. All bright eyes and soft smile and sincerity, and Blurr melted inside every time.   
  
He knew, logically, Starscream didn’t mean anything by it. He didn’t know what a nipple was, or how it could be sensitive, or what touching it would do to Blurr. Logic didn’t mean anything to Blurr’s dick, however, which twitched with interest from the casual touch.   
  
Blurr sighed. “Let me grab the remote first.” He also needed to dim the lights. It was early enough he might even slip into a nap if he wasn’t careful.   
  
Necessities retrieved, Blurr returned to the bed-turned-couch and slid into the cocoon beside Starscream, who promptly pulled Blurr into the cradle of his body. He was quite toasty, like sliding between a goosedown comforter and an electric blanket.   
  
“There! Nice and warm,” Starscream said as his hand cupped Blurr’s opposite shoulder, keeping him tucked next to Starscream. “Play the movie now?”   
  
“Yeah. Sure.” Blurr was ridiculously glad his voice didn’t shake, given how fast his heart was beating. Starscream smelled so good, sweet like fruit and with a faint whiff of something else, like mineral oil or a waterfall.   
  
Blurr pressed play, tucked the remote between them, and focused on his steaming hot cocoa. His mound of whipped cream was swiftly melting, and he took a big sip as the opening trailers started to play.   
  
He didn’t bother to skip them. Starscream liked watching the trailers because they helped him figure out other things he might want to see. TV and movies still fascinated Starscream, and Blurr was invested in finding the things which excited Starscream.   
  
Could he help it if his feathery friend was so darned adorable?   
  
Blurr relaxed into the warmth and comfort Starscream offered. This was quickly shaping up to be the best Autumnal Equinox he’d had since he’d left home. He wasn’t alone. He had good company. He was warm.   
  
It was very nice.   
  
Blurr licked the whipped cream from the rim of the cup and drank more, the cocoa doing much to chase the rest of the chill from his body. Beside him, Starscream seemed split focused between the cocoa and the television, though every time he took a sip, he made a pleased sound in his throat.   
  
Blurr chuckled quietly.   
  
“What?” Starscream asked, turning to look at him.   
  
Darn his bird-like hearing. “Nothing. You like the cocoa?”   
  
“I do.” Starscream snuggled closer to Blurr, his eyes so bright and warm, even as his grin turned mischievous. His exhales puffed warm against Blurr’s cheek. “You do, too. I can tell.” Flashes of light from the movie reflected across his face.   
  
“Oh? How’s that?” Blurr asked.   
  
“It’s all over your face.” Starscream laughed. “Literally I mean.”   
  
Blurr’s face reddened. “Really?” He scrubbed at the corner of his mouth with his free hand. “Did I get it?”   
  
Starscream chuckled, and really, when had he gotten so close? When had his eyes gotten so big and the warmth of his chocolate-scented exhalations so near? When had their cuddle for warmth turned into something closer to an embrace?   
  
“Not all of it,” he murmured. “Let me help.”   
  
Help?   
  
Starscream’s tongue curled over the corner of Blurr’s mouth in a soft, wet lick. Blurr’s brain stuttered and flatlined, his eyes rounding.   
  
Blurr stilled, swearing he felt the brush of Starscream’s lips over his cheek. Starscream so close was blazing hot, and it was dizzying. Blurr’s breath caught in his throat. His heartbeat thudded in his ears, his dick giving a twitch of prurient interest.   
  
“There,” Starscream said, his voice oddly hushed. “I got it.”   
  
It took several tries, several dry swallows, before Blurr could make his voice work. “You… You...”   
  
Starscream’s gaze dropped away, his hand trembling where it cupped Blurr’s shoulders. He made as if to pull back, his fingers slipping away from Blurr. “I overstepped, didn’t I? Sorry, I shouldn’t have--”   
  
“Do it again.” Blurr licked his lips, his heart pounding so hard it seemed to stick in his throat. “I-- I mean, for real this time.” He turned into Starscream, putting their faces tantalizingly close. “Please.”   
  
Starscream’s mouth opened as though he was going to say something before he thought against it. Clunk went the mug as it was nudged to the nightstand before Starscream gently cupped Blurr’s face with his hand, so mindful of his talons.   
  
Anticipation coiled like anxiety and need inside of Blurr. Rationality screamed at him, and hope throbbed a fast beat. Starscream’s mouth fell over his, lips a gentle pressure, and all traces of unease washed away.  
  
Blurr sighed into the kiss, shaky as it was, and moved his lips against Starscream’s, so soft, not alien at all. Very much like kissing a human, warm and sweet, like chocolate and whipped cream. Chaste, for all of that, without so much as a tongue even. In a moment over far too quickly, Starscream’s lips retreated. Pride kept Blurr from chasing them. Starscream’s forehead pressed to his, the fluff of his face feathers tickling Blurr’s skin.   
  
“Was that okay?” Starscream’s words were a puff of warmth over Blurr’s lips.   
  
Blurr drew in a shaky breath. “I don’t know,” he said. He licked his lip, savoring the taste of Starscream lingering on them. “I think I need a couple more kisses just to be sure.”   
  
Starscream hummed a small laugh. “Easiest thing to do,” he murmured, and closed his mouth over Blurr’s again.  
  
Blurr melted into the kiss, his insides tightening into a hot coil of excitement at the first unsteady touch of a tongue. It felt barely different than a human’s, slightly rougher, definitely longer, but not at all offputting.   
  
The kiss deepened and multiplied, kiss after kiss, their bodies coming together, Blurr awkward as he still held the stupid mug of cocoa. He felt every press of Starscream’s lips, every puff of unsteady breath, every tickle of Starscream’s feathers.   
  
Starscream made this cute sound in his throat as his tongue touched Blurr’s again. He cradled Blurr so carefully, the care making Blurr’s heart flutter with affection.   
  
Starscream retreated, and Blurr caught himself from giving his lips chase. Heat flooded his face, and his thoughts crashed one into the other.   
  
“Still okay?” Starscream asked, barely above a whisper.   
  
“More than,” Blurr admitted, and boy, was his voice shaky. “I’ve thought about doing that for weeks, and I felt like an idiot for thinking it.”   
  
Starscream leaned back to peer into Blurr’s face. “You wanted to kiss me?”   
  
“Yeah.” Blurr tilted his head into Starscream’s hand. “But I was scared of what that meant, and scared to take that chance, so I never tried. Just shows you’re braver than me.”   
  
“Not as much as you’d think.” A shadow passed through Starscream’s eyes before he leaned in for a tickling nuzzle.  
  
“Brave enough.” Soft fuzziness brushed over Blurr’s cheeks, and if he could purr, Blurr knew he would have.   
  
But what did it mean? Did Starscream want Blurr in all the ways Blurr’s dreams had been haunting him with? Were they dating? Was that even possible?   
  
Was there more?  
  
Blurr’s insides fluttered. Starscream’s cheek felt soft against his, and there was something affectionate in the nuzzle. Questions gnawed at the back of his mind, and he knew he couldn’t do anything more until he addressed them.   
  
“So…” He licked his lips and curled into Starscream’s feathery embrace. He wanted to stay here. Possibly forever. “What happens now? I mean, are we…?”  
  
“We are what we are.” Starscream’s lips brushed over Blurr’s forehead. “And as for next, I do still want to see what movie you picked for us. And drink my cocoa. It would be a shame to waste it.”   
  
Blurr chuckled. “All right. We can do that.” He dug around in the blankets for the remote, fumbling for several moments as his hands wouldn’t stop shaking. “And the rest we can just play by ear.”   
  
“Sounds perfect.”   
  
Yes. It did.  
  
And perfect it was.   
  
All they did was snuggle.   
  
They drank their cocoa, Starscream’s impossibly long tongue licking both mugs clean and giving Blurr unpure thoughts. He squirmed next to Starscream, and Starscream gave him a knowing look. Which made Blurr wonder if Starscream could smell his arousal.   
  
Or maybe the looks were because of the bulge in Blurr’s sweatpants, which was not all that subtle.   
  
The movie ended, and Blurr had to force himself out of their cozy nest to switch the disc to something else, a comedy at Starscream’s behest. Then he dove back into the blankets and Starscream tugged him into an embrace with no hesitation. Blurr rested with his head on Starscream’s chest, listening to the steady thump-thump of his core.   
  
It had a different rhythm than a human heartbeat. Deeper somehow. A bit slower, too.   
  
It lulled Blurr right into a nap, even with Starscream’s raspy chuckles spilling over his head from the movie. He felt…  
  
Well, Blurr felt content. And he hadn’t felt that in quite a long time.   
  
It was a little strange to find himself comfortable in the arms of a harpy. And maybe the simmering arousal was weird, and the taste of Starscream on his lips was downright obscene, but at the moment, Blurr couldn’t care.   
  
He’d forgotten what this felt like. Being wanted.   
  
He wanted to hold onto it for as long as he could. But even if it went no further, even if it was just this – friendship and warmth and cocoa kisses – he’d be satisfied. He wouldn’t be alone.   
  
It would be enough.   
  


***


	9. Chapter 9

Everything changed. 

Nothing changed. 

Blurr stopped sleeping on a pallet of blankets on the floor and joined Starscream on the narrow bed, pressed close to the fluffy warmth of feathers. He slept at ease in the cradle of a heavy, winged arm. 

He woke some mornings, to soft kisses pressed to the corner of his mouth, and the tickle of feathers against his throat. Or, the rare times he woke before Starscream, he could lay there and admire Starscream with his eyes, trying not to let the alarm set in. 

What was he doing? He had no idea. Was he going to stop? 

Absolutely not. 

He pushed away the thoughts of why this was crazy or ridiculous or why it couldn’t work. He focused instead on how happy he felt around Starscream, how comfortable and warm, and how it felt to kiss Starscream. He focused on the important things. 

Stolen goodbye kisses after a quick glance around to make sure they weren’t being watched. 

Curled together on a bed turned couch, watching movies and eating junk food, sharing kisses during the boring parts, kisses that tasted like caramel or cinnamon or chocolate.

Waking up next to or halfway beneath Starscream, buried in an avalanche of blankets and pillows and feathers, more to add to his growing collection. 

Those were the things that mattered. 

Starscream visited every weekend now, sometimes longer if he could. He learned the baristas at the coffeeshop by name, and they didn’t blink the first time he went by himself, clutching Blurr’s ID card to pay for it. 

That had been quite the romantic surprise, though Blurr had been a little miffed Starscream had snatched his ID and snuck out with it. The fresh coffee and bagels made up for the theft, however, as did the dizzying half-hour they spent curled together, sharing kiss after kiss. Blurr pretended not to notice that Starscream had two cinnamon rolls stashed in a bag for himself. 

It stopped feeling weird so quickly, Blurr wondered if it had ever felt weird at all. 

He bought more pillows, and the sight of them mounded on the bed made Starscream’s eyes light up. He flopped onto the narrow mattress and arranged them all just so, until the bed became a grossly extravagant tangle of comfort. 

Small wonder Blurr didn’t want to leave the dorm on the weekends. Everything he needed – save food, and that could be delivered – was right here. 

Time spent with Starscream was the highlight of his week. And kissing… that was easy. Hours curled together, alternating between watching TV or playing games, that sooner or later turned to hot kisses, each more hungry than the last. 

Logically, Blurr knew things would progress to the inevitable conclusion but the hows and whys continued to make his brain screech to a halt, contemplating possibilities. The things he knew about harpies, especially their reproduction, couldn’t fill out a children’s picture book. 

Fortunately, there was no rush. Starscream didn’t seem in any hurry to move beyond the endless makeout sessions, and Blurr didn’t want to push either. Kissing was one thing. Sex was… quite different. 

Were they dating? Were they friends? Did they need to define it? 

So many questions. Blurr pushed them all away. He was happy. That was what mattered. He was happy, and he intended to cling to that as long as he possibly could. 

~

Sunday evenings were the hardest. Because Blurr had class in the morning, and Starscream had to go back to the aerie for his duties and to reassure his Liege – whoever that was – he was safe. 

Saturdays were for fun and entertainment, and Sundays were meant for lounging in bed like a bunch of lazy bums. They kissed until Blurr’s head spun with the taste of Starscream on his lips, and the weight of Starscream over him or beneath him. Tempting him. 

Like now, where Blurr sprawled in the almost-cocoon of blankets and pillows Starscream created whenever he stayed over. It made for a depression in the bed, like sleeping in a cradle, but Starscream preferred it so Blurr didn’t fuss. Besides, it meant Starscream didn’t roll away from him. And well, it meant Blurr had nowhere to go when Starscream pinned him down and kissed him, soft and sweet at first, but with ever increasing intensity. 

His lips wandered, tasting the curve of Blurr’s ear, the hollow of his throat, teeth brushing ever so gently over his bare skin. It was unexpectedly erotic. Blurr felt dizzy beneath it, unable to respond as he drowned in the sensation. He shivered, Starscream’s mouth hot and wet as it traced his collarbone. 

“You’re pointy again,” Starscream murmured with a little laugh as he mouthed at Blurr’s throat. “Are you cold?” 

Ah. This again. 

Blurr flushed and squirmed. His dick twitched at the breathy purr. “It’s not always because of the cold,” he replied and slid his hands up Starscream’s side, burying them in the winter fluff. 

“Oh?” Starscream leaned back, his eyes bright and curious. He shifted and bent over to brush his cheek over Blurr’s chest, right over his nipple. “Why else then?” 

Damn his harpy curiosity. 

Blurr’s flush deepened. “S-sometimes it happens because I feel good,” he said. 

Primus, it was embarrassing to talk about this. 

“Feel good?” Starscream echoed, and his grin turned almost feral. He rubbed his cheek over Blurr’s chest, and Blurr shivered as it applied pressure to his nipple, even with the cotton of his t-shirt between them. “Can I lick it?” 

Oh, god. 

Blurr’s grip on Starscream’s sides tightened. “Why?” 

“To see if it tastes good.” Starscream rubbed a little harder, and Blurr’s dick started to push at his jeans. “And if it makes you feel good.” 

His cheek slid down, and Blurr swore he could feel the hot puffs of Starscream’s breath despite his shirt. 

Blurr shivered and bucked up. He had never, in his life, been so sensitive, but somehow just the thought of Starscream licking him sent fire through his veins. 

“I-I guess. If you want to.” Blurr’s breathing stuttered, and anticipation clogged up his throat. 

Inevitable progression, his brain helpfully reminded him. 

Starscream grinned and pressed a kiss to Blurr’s right nipple, visibly peaked beneath his t-shirt. “I want to.” 

Blurr groaned and hastily snatched at his hem, trying to pull his shirt up and over his head. Starscream chuckled as he fumbled and got tangled in the arms of it, before a tug from a talon helped free him and the scrap of cotton was tossed away. Blurr dropped back into the cradle of pillows, the feel of them against his bare back unexpectedly erotic, but no more so than the tickle of feathers on his bare stomach and shoulders and chest. 

Starscream looked at him intently, and Blurr tried not to squirm. “You’re so smooth,” he murmured as he planted a kiss on Blurr’s sternum. 

“Because I don’t have feathers,” Blurr said, ignoring the niggle of worry curling at the back of his conscious. How could Starscream look at him -- pale and thin and gangly and far too smooth -- and find anything attractive? 

“No, you don’t. Instead you have these… nipples,” Starscream said, the word strange on his tongue. “They look like little berries.” 

Blurr clutched at Starscream’s sides again, back arching, as warm lips traced over one peaked nub before a hot tongue followed, licking long and wet. 

“J-just don’t bite them,” he said, on the edge of a moan. 

“Not even a little?” Starscream asked, mischievous to the core. Teeth immediately joined the fray, applying a careful pressure.

Blurr’s fingers dug into Starscream’s sides, and his dick throbbed. Thank god he was wearing jeans otherwise Starscream would be meeting his lower self sooner than Blurr was ready for. 

“Mmm. Just a little is okay I think,” Starscream said against Blurr’s skin as he dragged his lips over to the left. “And you have two! I should be more generous.” 

Starscream was going to kill him, Blurr thought, as his other nipple was kissed and licked and nibbled. Each hot press of Starscream’s tongue sent another shock of lust through Blurr’s body. He gasped and rocked up against Starscream, feeling the barest of pressures against his groin. Pleasure danced in the dark behind his eyelids. 

Inevitable progression, his muddled thoughts helpfully supplied, and Blurr untangled one hand from Starscream’s side to paw at the harpy’s head. His chest tingled, and his nipples tightened, and if he didn’t do something now, he would beg Starscream to strip away the rest of his clothes. Which, yeah, that sounded good now but later he’d be a ball of unease and recrimination. 

Fortunately, Starscream seemed to hear his unvoiced plea, because he released Blurr’s nipple with an audible pop and kissed his way back to Blurr’s lips, hot and wet and as intoxicating as always. Blurr melted into it, pulled Starscream close, rocked their bodies together, and tried to tell himself to calm down. 

It was harder than it sounded. Lust pulsed through his veins; his dick throbbed an angry beat. Starscream was so warm and smelled so sweet and if he didn’t look, he forgot his boyfriend was a harpy. 

“Mmm.” Starscream’s lips slid away from his as he rubbed his cheek against Blurr’s. “I love kissing you.” 

Blurr stroked his hands down Starscream’s sides. “That’s good, since I like kissing you, too.” 

Starscream chuckled and shifted his weight, moving to curl next to Blurr rather than crouched over him. His feathered arm made for a nice, soft blanket over Blurr’s bare chest, brushing his yet-sensitive nipples. 

“I appreciate touching you as well,” he said, nuzzling the crown of Blurr’s head. “You are very pretty when you turn red all over.” 

As if on cue, Blurr’s face heated. Starscream’s bluntness was something he still hadn’t gotten used to. “You just like making me squirm.” 

“That, too.” Starscream curled closer, as though he wanted to meld Blurr’s body with his. He blazed heat. Was he struggling with arousal, too or was Blurr the only one suffering? “Want to stay like this.” 

Blurr wriggled closer, freeing up an arm so he could stroke around Starscream’s face. A lot of the feathers here were thinner, more sensitive, and stroking them never failed to make Starscream purr. He focused on the softness of the moment, the winding down, and mastered his breathing. 

Slowly, so slowly, his arousal started to ebb. 

“And if I miss any more classes, I’m going to both lose my scholarship and repeat my senior year,” Blurr said. “I mean, yeah, I earned it because of my athletic ability, but I still have to maintain a 3.0 GPA at the least.” 

“I’ll help you study,” Starscream said. 

It was as simple as that for him apparently. 

But thinking of his GPA, his classes, his scholarship… those were all reminders. Truths Blurr couldn’t escape. He was human, with a human future, and he didn’t know how or even if Starscream could fit into that. He didn’t know what it meant. 

Was he wasting his time with this indulgence? Was he only setting himself up for a bigger heartbreak? Was he destined to walk away from this happiness in the end? 

Blurr swallowed thickly and turned into Starscream’s embrace, burying his face against the harpy’s fluffy chest. He gripped Starscream as best he could. His lust froze away, leaving only the faint pulses of fear. 

He wished he could hold onto this forever. He was afraid to ask what it meant, and what was possible. He was afraid of the answers he’d get. 

“Blurr?” 

“We can get coffee in the morning, before my first class,” he said, his words muffled against Starscream’s chest. “Cinnamon rolls, too. Before you have to go.” 

“The way to my core,” Starscream said with a soft laugh. He stroked his knuckles down Blurr’s bare back, over the knobs of his spine. “And then I’ll be back on Friday.” This, added firmly, as though it was a foregone conclusion. 

Blurr hummed his agreement and went silent. He listened to the odd rhythm of Starscream’s heart – his core – beat. It was different than a humans. Heavier and slower, somehow. Stronger. 

It always soothed him right to sleep. 

Tonight, however, peace was not to be found. Blurr gnawed on the inside of his cheek, thoughts spinning upside down. The semester was almost over. He had one left. Then he’d have to leave. He’d have to move on. 

He’d have to leave Starscream behind. What future could he truly have with the harpy? He clung to this impossibility like an abandoned puppy clung to a scrap of kindness. 

Blurr’s mind ran in circles, thoughts chasing each other around his head. He didn’t want to leave Starscream. But he couldn’t stay. What they had, it was ridiculous. It would be obscene to anyone else. 

He didn’t want to let go. He clung tighter. Heat banked behind his eyes, and he knew he was being a fool. In all the worst ways. 

He didn’t want to let go. 

~

The week leading up to finals was a frantic blur of studying, training, paper writing, and more studying. Blurr wanted to tear his hair out from sheer frustration as his professors piled on the extra work, Coach rode his ass with dexterity programs, and the threat of not passing any of his classes loomed over him. 

As much as he didn’t have a clue about his future, he knew he didn’t want to repeat his senior year. For one, he’d have to pay for it out of pocket, and for two, he really, really didn’t like attending classes. Like frag would he repeat them. 

So he studied furiously. He practiced even harder, because scoring a sponsorship or a spot on the international team would be one ticket for the future. He barely slept, he ate when food was put in front of him, and he probably wasn’t good company. 

Which might have been why he came out of the shower on Friday afternoon and found all of his books, notebooks, and study materials missing. Even his laptop had been hidden away, and Starscream sat in his desk chair, one leg crossed over the other, elbows braced on the arms of the chair, his fingers tangled together. 

Blurr, towel wrapped around his waist, glared. “Where’re my books?” 

“You need a break,” Starscream said, his eyes narrow slits of crimson, as stern as the glare Blurr was giving him in return. “You’ve reached the point where studying isn’t going to help you, and frankly, you’ve been an ass lately. Even Rathi’s noticed.” 

Rathi. Of course, Rathi. 

“TJ as well,” Starscream added. 

Traitors. Betrayal from all sides. 

Blurr clutched at his towel, a shiver creeping down his spine as the warmth of the shower started to fade, the chill of the room seeping it away. He’d forgotten to dry his back again. 

“I see none of my friends care about me passing my classes,” Blurr growled. He stomped to his dresser and pulled out a clean pair of boxer-briefs and an under-tank. 

Starscream politely averted his eyes – they hadn’t gotten much further than kissing and a little overclothes groping – while Blurr dropped the towel. He pulled on his underclothes behind the relative cover of his wardrobe. 

“It is because we care that we’re concerned,” Starscream said, his tone tight and wounded. “You need to take a night off. You need to eat. You need to sleep. And you might also want to consider apologizing to TJ. You snapped at him during practice yesterday, and it was very unwarranted.” 

“I need to study,” Blurr argued as he yanked a pair of jeans out of the closet and tugged them on with quick, jerking motions. Only to realize he’d put his feet through the wrong legs. 

Damn it. 

His desk chair creaked as Starscream stood. He circled around the wardrobe door, looming over Blurr. “Study tomorrow. I’ll help you. Take tonight off.” 

Blurr dressed himself properly, yanking on jeans, tee, a hoodie. He shoved his feet into socks, angry more at himself than Starscream. Well, all right. He was a little angry at Starscream. The harpy had no right to decide this for him. But it was coming from a place of concern, so he was forgiven. 

A little. Not immediately. 

“Blurr.” 

He ignored Starscream, because he feared speaking would make him snap with words he’d regret. 

Starscream embraced him from behind, feathers forming a warm curtain, the beat of his core pulsing against the back of Blurr’s shoulders. “Please take tonight off,” he murmured as he nuzzled the back of Blurr’s head. “You look like you’re about to break.” 

Blurr hung his head and took in a slow, deep breath. 

"I'm sorry," he murmured, bringing up his hands to clutch at Starscream's, his eyes sliding shut.

"It's all right," Starscream said, his voice a humming vibration in Blurr's ear.

Blurr shook his head and let go, turning in Starscream's hold to see his face. "No, it's not. I've been an ass to you lately. I've been apologizing a lot because I'm snapping at you when you don't deserve it." He set his jaw. "I don't understand why you even put up with me."

"That's easy enough to answer." Starscream cupped his face and brought their foreheads together, his hands impossibly gentle. "Because I care for you and want to be with you."

"I'm terrible company right now," Blurr admitted.

The pad of Starscream's thumb swept over his cheek. "Yes, that's true. But I like you anyway." His lips curved in a wry grin. "I'm considering it pre-payment for a time when I'll be terrible company in the future, I'm sure."

A soft laugh spilled out of Blurr before he could stop it. "I don't think that's how it works."

"We're odd as it is. Why can't we buck this trend, too?"

Blurr managed a soft smile. "That's a good point," he said. "And you're right."

"I generally am."

"Shush." He tipped his head forward, sliding into the warmth of Starscream's embrace. "I need a break. And I think I've been neglecting you this week, too. So I should make up for that. What do you want to do?"

Starscream chuckled, the rumble of it vibrating around Blurr. "There are things I want to do that perhaps we aren't ready for yet," he said. "In lieu of that, TJ gave me an interesting idea."

Blurr groaned and leaned back. "You have got to stop talking to my friends and letting them put ideas in your head."

Starscream arched a feathery brow. "And why is that?"

"Because they are sneaky and devious and not to be trusted." Blurr poked Starscream in the belly, though it was like poking a feathery wall. Starscream had muscles beneath the feathers that Blurr envied. "And also out to embarrass me at every turn, as friends do."

Starscream chuckled. "Yes, but they also carry for you very much. And are very worried, too."

Blurr squirmed in the face of Starscream's blatant honesy. "I get that. So you never answered me. What do you have in mind that we can do now, that we're ready for?" 

He scratched the side of his jaw, well aware of what other things Starscream had been implying. A low waft of heat curled in his belly. He was simultaneously excited and nervous about going further with Starscream, but also, still looking at himself in the mirror and wondering what the hell he was doing.

"TJ said something about an agricultural fair," Starscream said with a shrug that was probably meant to be nonchalant, but he couldn't hide the interest or delight in his eyes. Or the way his feathers fluttered with excitement. "It sounds like the festivals they have in Vos sometimes. I thought it would be interesting to check out."

"The county fair?" Blurr nibbled on his bottom lip. He'd only been to the Kaon Fair once, two years ago, with Josiah. It should have been a pleasant time, but it hadn't been. It had also been a few weeks before Blurr started the long, complicated process of extricating himself from that relationship.

He wanted to refuse. But Starscream had such an eager look in his eyes, Blurr couldn't do it. He'd been an ass this week and he knew it. Besides, TJ was right. He couldn't let Josiah influence him forever.

“All right,” Blurr said. He reached for his coat and tugged it on before slipping his wallet, keys, and phone into his pockets. “That sounds like a good idea. Let’s go.” 

Starscream held up a hand and a single finger. “First things first,” he said. 

Blurr wrinkled his brow. “What am I missing?” 

“This.” Starscream leaned toward him, gently cupping Blurr’s cheek with his palm, and pressed their mouths together. He licked over Blurr’s lip, silently requesting permission, and Blurr melted into the kiss, tasting berries on Starscream’s tongue. 

Blurr hummed, sinking into Starscream’s embrace willingly. Tension seemed to drain out through his feet, taking away some of the agitation wrecking his calm. 

“You’re right,” he said against Starscream’s mouth. “I couldn’t have left home without that.” 

Starscream chuckled. “Then I’m glad to have offered it.” He brushed the back of his knuckles over Blurr’s cheek. “Now come. You have a fair to show me.” 

“Yes, I do.” 

The Kaon County Fair wasn’t technically on the university’s campus. It was nearby, set up in one of four rotating agricultural fields – whichever one was left to go fallow for the year. It was approaching dusk by the time Starscream had managed to drag Blurr out of his dorm and into public, and the bright lights of the rides visibly glowed from across the road. Streams of people flooded the gates, their breaths puffing out in front of them in deference to the frigid air. 

Winter was a terrible time to hold a fair, but Kaon had to be different, Blurr supposed. 

Starscream was given more than a few curious glances, but no one made a fuss over his being present. The ticket vendor was a little confused as to how to charge him, but as they wouldn’t be riding anything, a basic entrance fee was enough. 

“I don’t get on fair rides,” Blurr said, careful to keep his tone firm so Starscream wouldn’t try to wheedle. Not that there was a single ride he thought Starscream could fit on. 

The ferris wheel  _maybe_. 

“Why not?” Starscream asked. 

“Because they don’t have the best track records when it comes to safety, and I like a bit of a thrill, but not that much of one.” Blurr guided Starscream through the packed walkways, stepping over grate-covered cords and copious litter, toward the games of chance. “Besides, they’re better designed for children.” 

“Then what do the adults do?” Starscream asked. His eyes kept flickering in all directions, neck straining this way and that, trying to see it all and not miss a single detail. 

Blurr’s heart squeezed at the adorableness of it. 

“Hand over their wallets,” Blurr joked. He leaned in, nudging Starscream with a shoulder. “But also eat, play games, look at stuff, that sort of thing.” 

“Stuff? What kind of stuff do you look at?”

Blurr turned, scanned what he could see, and pointed to the three temporary buildings set up on the edge of the fairground. “It’s an agricultural fair so a lot of local artists and builders and creators and farmers set up a showcase to sell what they make or advertise what they do.” He furrowed his brow as he racked his brain. “I think they have contests, too. Like who grew the biggest pumpkin and who has the heaviest pig.” 

Starscream snorted. “Humans are weird.” 

“Like you have any room to talk.” 

Starscream flicked his fingers in a vague gesture. “Yes, but… it’s not like the humans have any control about how their pumpkins grow or their cattle feasts? So why should they get a prize for an accomplishment that’s mainly based on luck?” 

“Well.” Blurr scratched at his jaw. He wasn’t a farmer, he wasn’t from a family of farmers, and even Josiah’s family had been more about politics than farming. “I mean, I guess it is luck, but it’s also about how well they understand the science of farming and raising cattle.” 

Starscream arched a feathery brow, giving him an unimpressed look. 

Blurr sighed and threaded his arm through Starscream’s tugging him toward the buildings. “Come on. I don’t know what I’m talking about. Maybe you can look at the exhibits and figure it out.” 

“Wait.” Starscream dug in his heels and craned his neck, peering through a narrow gap between two stalls. “Can’t we eat first?” 

Blurr followed his gaze and snorted a laugh. Just between the stalls, Blurr could see the funnel cake vendor, perhaps the edge of the fried Oreo stall as well. 

“Yes, we can,” Blurr said, and pulled Starscream through the alley, having to step over someone’s discarded ice cream cone on the way. 

Starscream was going to need a bath after this. Who knew what filth his tail was collecting? 

“I want to try everything,” Starscream said, quickly overtaking the lead and pulling Blurr along with him. “It all smells so good.” 

Blurr laughed. “You’re going to make yourself sick.” 

Starscream looked back at him, eyes bright and excited. “Isn’t that supposed to be part of the experience?” 

“Yeah, I guess it is.” Blurr patted Starscream’s arm where they were still linked, the most PDA he allowed himself. “All right. Whatever you want, you can have.” 

Starscream’s bright grin mad everything worth it. 

Two funnel cakes, a paper tray of fried Oreos, and a bag of cotton candy swinging from his other arm later, they wobbled toward the exhibition halls. Starscream hummed happily, his chest dotted with powdered sugar and his feathers speckled white. 

“Better than cinnamon rolls?” Blurr asked as he nibbled on the fried Oreos. Some evil genius had created these things, and Blurr was glad the fair only came around once a year, and he couldn’t fry the cookies for himself. 

No amount of running could make up for a daily diet of deep-fried Oreos. 

“Nothing is better than cinnamon rolls,” Starscream declared. He frowned as he tried to brush the powdered sugar from his feathers, the deep fluff of them making it even more difficult than their usual, sleek nature. 

Starscream’s sweet tooth was going to be the end of Blurr someday, he just knew it. 

The first exhibition hall was full of arts and crafts. They wandered from stall to stall, peering at beautiful quilts and handmade clothing and pottery and woodcraft. Starscream made eyes at a gorgeous stained-glass butterfly, and Blurr didn’t have to think twice before he whipped out a handful of cash to hand the seller. 

“You can hang it in your window,” Blurr said as she wrapped it carefully in newspaper, before he paused and crinkled his forehead. “Do harpies have windows?” 

Starscream gave him an indignant look. “Blurr, honestly, how unevolved do you think we are? Yes, we have windows. We have doors. We have places to eat and sleep and cook food and take baths and we even have internet!” 

Blurr blinked. “Wait. You have internet?” 

Starscream folded his arms and sniffed, his feathers fluffing up around him until he was nearly hidden in them. “Yes, we do. We have a solar-powered wireless router courtesy of the university’s generous donation. Presently we only have one computer in the flock library, but it’s there, and we have it, and that’s the point I’m making.” 

The seller coughed into her hand, and Blurr reached for the package, offering her a smile and a murmured thanks. 

“Oh,” he said, and scrubbed the back of his neck. “Sorry, I didn’t realize.” 

“No, you just assumed.” Starscream’s eyes flashed with irritation. “Kaon is a relatively new aerie, and it’s not as well-established as many other flocks. Were you to see Vos or Crystal City or Iacon, the level of technology would stun you, I think. We’re not ignorant savages.”

Shame made Blurr’s cheeks flush. “I know you’re not.” He ducked his head and shoved the last of his fried Oreos into his mouth, to keep him from saying anything else. “We should keep moving,” he mumbled around it, and didn’t wait for Starscream to agree. 

The second exhibition hall showed off the prizes and awards for the farmers, for their fruits and vegetables and cattle. Pictures of the prize-winning beasts were tacked up along the walls next to their award while tables groaned under the weight of massive pumpkins and squash and beautiful red tomatoes. 

Blurr hung back, letting Starscream flit from showcase to showcase, chatting with the farmers who gave him the time of day and collecting armfuls of pamphlets and papers. No one blinked twice at the over-large harpy in their midst. Blurr supposed they’d gotten used to it over the years. He’d heard that Perceptor had been very engaged with the community while he’d lived here. 

Starscream practically glowed with delight at all the research and information they were handing him. As if spending hours reading the tiny text and absorbing it was the most fun he could have on an evening. 

He was such a nerd. 

An incredibly adorable, fluffy, feathery nerd. And he was Blurr’s best friend. Potentially more, if this budding inexplicable thing between them worked out. 

Blurr’s heart flooded with warmth, as much as the guilt rolled into a knot in his throat. 

They moved into the third exhibition hall, a small distance between them now. Blurr gnawed on his bottom lip, trailing behind Starscream, still carrying the cotton candy and the wrapped stained glass, and an extra funnel cake, now cold and greasy and rapidly losing its appeal. Sweet smells floated to his nose, mixed with pungent and herbal ones. 

The stalls here carried collections of handmade soaps and oils and cleaning supplies. Others proudly displayed prize-winning pies and muffins and cookies. Giant sticky buns were available from another seller, and Blurr unsurprisingly caught up to Starscream there, eying the rolls with evident desire. 

“As many as he wants,” Blurr said, already digging for his wallet as he shuffled around the things in his hands. 

Starscream relieved him of the bag for the stained glass. 

“Or, well...” Blurr peered into his wallet and winced. “Just two, I guess.” Most of the vendors here didn’t take cards and this was the last of his cash. He handed it over. 

The young man smiled, freckles dotting his cheeks and a head full of big, fluffy curls. “I’ll make it three,” he whispered with a wink, and deftly bagged up the sticky buns, handing them to Starscream with a flourish. “I can appreciate someone with good taste.” 

Starscream slanted Blurr a look before he offered the seller a dazzling smile. “Thank you,” he purred. 

The young man flushed. “You’re welcome.” 

Starscream flounced away, and Blurr followed, tucking his now empty wallet back into his pocket. Starscream didn’t stop to linger at any of the other stalls, instead he made a beeline for the exit, and Blurr hurried to follow. 

Night had fallen in full, dropping the temperature, and the chilly breeze carried on it the smell of hay and fried foods and the tang of barbeque. Cheerful music burbled all around them, and on the other side of the halls, children shrieked as they spun around on the teacups. 

Blurr found Starscream leaning against the wall, stained glass tucked under his arm, one hand laden with the large sticky bun. He sniffed it curiously, poked at the pecans buried in the sweet drizzle, before plucking it free and poking it into his mouth. 

Blurr dumped the funnel cake into a nearby trashcan and joined Starscream, leaning on the wall beside him. It was relatively quieter here, less crowded. They faced the back parking lot and a cheap, temporary fence, along with a small walkway to take visitors back to the main, fair thoroughfare. 

“I’m sorry,” he said, because he meant it. “I really should think before I say things like that. I mean, I know you’re not dumb and all that, I just don’t think, and--”

“I’ll take you someday,” Starscream said quietly, interrupting Blurr, as he plucked another pecan and licked the icing off before popping it into his mouth. “So you can see for yourself.” He crunched noisily on the pecan before his gaze finally slanted back toward Blurr, and there was forgiveness in his eyes. “We’re from two different worlds. Some things you just have to see to believe.” 

Blurr glanced around, but other than the noise of people conversing inside the hall, there was no one in view. He moved closer to Starscream and slid his fingers around Starscream’s wrist and hand, giving it a squeeze. 

“I’m not giving up on us,” Starscream said, while Blurr struggled to find words. “But I just have to remember sometimes that you’re human, and there are things you don’t know.” 

“That’s true, but that doesn’t give me a free pass.” Blurr pulled Starscream’s hand toward his mouth, brushed his lips quickly over the back of his knuckles. “So I’m sorry.” 

“Apology accepted.” Starscream lifted his finger, his knuckle brushing Blurr’s lips before he gently tugged his hand free. He kept close, however, which was enough. 

And just in time, also, as two laughing high schoolers spilled out of the exhibition hall, their mouths smeared with jam and their hands filled with donuts. They didn’t seem to notice Starscream and Blurr, but still. Best to be circumspect. 

Moments like this were just another reminder of the difference between he and Starscream. So many differences. Insurmountable differences? Blurr didn’t want to contemplate. Not yet. 

He was happy like this. Happy with Starscream, despite the complications. Happier than he could remember being in a long time. 

“Want to see the games next?” Blurr asked as Starscream bit into the sticky bun, flecks of dried icing fluttering down to his feathery chest. 

Starscream nodded, chewing the big bite, as he offered the sticky bun to Blurr as well. 

It must have been love after all. 

Starscream was willing to share. 

***

 


	10. Chapter 10

Finals came.   
  
Blurr spent the week of them barely sleeping, studying furiously, and utterly relieved Starscream stayed throughout the whole week. Not to cuddle and kiss, as much fun as that was, but to help.   
  
He quizzed Blurr. He went over math problems Blurr still couldn’t parse. He pointed out grammatical errors in two of the three papers Blurr had to submit. He brought Blurr coffee in the mornings and learned how to manipulate the laptop enough to order delivery online.   
  
The sight of him painstakingly tapping the keys with his talons would never cease to be adorable to Blurr.   
  
Blurr passed all of his classes. Even physics.   
  
Thank Primus for the nearly two week long winter break. Even if he did have to spend it on campus. Because he wasn’t going home.   
  
“Another holiday?” Starscream had asked with a frown. “Humans sure have a lot of them.”   
  
“Well, there are a lot of us, and we’re all different,” Blurr had replied with a shrug. “A lot of people like the Winter Solstice. Lots of free time and good food and gifts.” He’d focused harder on the laundry, pretending it took most of his concentration to fold his jeans and socks properly. “It’s just the way we are.”   
  
“And you’re not going to go home?” Starscream had asked, concern deep in his voice, and echoes of his never-ending curiosity.   
  
“No.”   
  
Blurr left it at that, aware his tone was flat and more than a bit rude, but Starscream didn’t press. Blurr wasn’t ready to share the reasons why yet. Any human would understand with a couple clipped words.   
  
 _“I’m gay.”_    
  
Bisexual, to be more accurate, but to his parents, gay and bisexual were the same thing. Especially when Blurr refused to ignore his interest in men and focus only on women.   
  
But Starscream, he wouldn’t get the cultural connotations. It would require a lot of explanation, and it was just so exhausting on top of everything else, Blurr really didn’t want to deal with it. Especially around holidays.   
  
Starscream had made the Autumnal Equinox special for him, however, so Blurr wanted to repay that by giving Starscream something for the Winter Solstice. He’d stayed up late one night, while Starscream snored on the bed, and browsed the online stores until he found the perfect gift for a harpy.   
  
Or well, for Starscream at least, since he was probably as atypical for a harpy as they came. Not that Blurr had met any others, but what typical harpy would spend all their free time with a human?   
  
He’d thought about wrapping it with ribbons and bows and a fancy box, but then felt stupid for even considering it. He didn’t want to make a big deal out of it, but he didn’t want to dump it into Starscream’s hands either.   
  
In the end, he settled for a bag, something Starscream could tie around his waist when he went back to the aerie, and he wouldn’t have to worry about losing it.   
  
All that remained was to actually give it to Starscream.   
  
Finals finished. Friday came. The campus was deserted before the sun started to set, as early as it did here in the first flush of true winter. Even faculty vanished for winter break. The cafeterias closed. The shops closed.   
  
Three years into spending winter break on campus, Blurr had learned. He’d stocked up. He knew all the places that would stay open. He usually camped out in his dorm in a nest of blankets while he played video games or watched movies.   
  
Starscream showed up right after sundown, all smiles and floof, sweeping Blurr up into a squeezing embrace before he could get so much as a word out.   
  
“Great news!” Starscream said as he plopped Blurr back on to his own two feet. “I’m going to stay the whole two weeks.”   
  
Blurr blinked. “What? I thought you said--”  
  
Starscream waved him off. “I asked. Got permission. There’s nothing I’m doing that won’t keep, though Perceptor kept giving me these weird looks.” He tapped his chin with one foretalon. “I think he suspects something.”   
  
“He’s the scientist, right? The one who used to live here?” Blurr asked as nervous energy had him moving quickly, his thoughts skittering again and again to the wrapped bag on his desk.   
  
Starscream nodded. “He’s nosy, too. Him and his mate both.” He snorted.   
  
Hah. Like Starscream had any room to talk. He was nosy, too.   
  
“Are there… well, are there rules or something?” They returned to the quiet privacy of Blurr’s dorm room, not that it mattered since he knew not a single person remained in the entire dorm.   
  
Blurr checked.   
  
Starscream flopped onto Blurr’s bed and wriggled around, as though trying to get his scent back onto the freshly-laundered sheets. “There’s not a rule, though whether that’s because no one’s thought about it, I don’t know.” He bent over the edge of the bed and yanked out some of the pillows Blurr had stuffed underneath it. “It’s uncharted territory.”   
  
Blurr peeled out of his winter wear, boots and heavy jacket and scarf and toboggan, though he left his sweatshirt on. It was cold in here, damn it.   
  
“That’s good,” Blurr said. “I wouldn’t want you to get into trouble.”   
  
Starscream tossed the pillows up onto the bed and arranged them to his liking. “Any trouble would be worth it.”   
  
Heat stole into Blurr’s cheeks. He rubbed the back of his head. Starscream always said those kinds of things so plainly, without hesitation, meanwhile Blurr floundered trying to admit Starscream was his best friend.   
  
“I got you something,” he abruptly blurted out, because he wasn’t like Starscream. He didn’t know how to make words have meaning. “It’s not much but, you know, it’s Winter Solstice after all.”   
  
Starscream rose from the bed, moving forward with eager steps, feathers quirking straight up. “You got me a present?”   
  
Blurr nodded and sucked in a deep breath. He grabbed the sparkly bag from the desk – Starscream loved glittery things, the vain bird.   
  
“It’s early to give it to you,” Blurr admitted as his face burned, and his heart thumped louder and louder in his chest. “I didn’t really want to wait, and it’s kind of my way of saying thank you, too. Plus I didn’t know how long you’d get to stay, and I didn’t want giving it to you to be a rushed thing. So--”  
  
Starscream’s hand gently covered his, where he held the wrapped gift. “Thank you,” he said, cutting off the endless stream of increasingly rushed babble.   
  
Blurr snapped his mouth shut and nodded, letting Starscream take the bag. He watched with bated breath as Starscream plucked at the loose ties with unsurprisingly skillful talons until the large object fell into his palm. Well, it was large to Blurr, but for Starscream’s much larger hand, it fit perfectly.   
  
“It’s a thunder egg,” Blurr said. “Or, I mean, that’s what we call it.”  
  
“It’s a geode,” Starscream said quietly, something in his tone indecipherable. His fingers ran over the surface of the spherical rock as if searching for something. “Though that’s a rather broad term.”   
  
He gripped the rock with both hands and abruptly twisted it. With a crunch and crackle, the rock split into two uneven parts, but the glitter of the crystals shone bright from within. It was hollower than Blurr expected, though again, he also knew it was impossible to tell what was in one without opening it. Buying an uncut thunder egg pretty much ensured it was luck of the draw.   
  
“It’s lovely,” Starscream murmured. “Agate and amethyst both.” He looked at Blurr with a smile curving his lips. “Two of my favorites.”   
  
“Do you like it?” Blurr hoped he didn’t sound too anxious. It shouldn’t be this nerve-wracking to give his best friend maybe lover a gift. What if he’d overstepped? What if giving gifts was against some kind of harpy law? What if Starscream hated it?  
  
“I love it.” Starscream’s eyes were bright and shiny as though he held back tears. “I love that you thought of me, that you wanted to surprise me, that you wanted to make me happy.”   
  
Blurr’s face heated. He rubbed the back of his neck and shuffled his weight. “You’re important to me,” he admitted, and it was his turn to look at the floor. “I’m not good with words so I figured, you know, actions matter. And maybe you don’t know what this time of year means, but I do. This was the best way I could think to say it.”   
  
“It’s perfect.” Starscream moved closer. He cupped Blurr’s face, ever so gentle, tilting him to look up at Starscream. “Thank you.”   
  
Blurr swallowed over a lump in his throat. “I’ve spent the last four years alone during the holidays,” he said. “If anyone should be saying thank you, it’s me.”   
  
“I would never demand gratitude for something freely given,” Starscream said, his voice oddly hushed. “I am with you because there is no place else I’d rather be.”   
  
The lump only got larger, holding within it an outpouring of words Blurr didn’t dare speak, because always on the edge of his conscious, reality waited. Actions, in any case, were better. They said all the words he couldn’t.   
  
He curled his arms around Starscream’s neck and pulled the harpy down the last half-foot to seal their lips together, teeth clacking noisily, a kiss more desperate than soft. Words were inadequate, but the way their bodies pressed together, and how heat flashed between them – that was real and honest.   
  
It was the realest thing Blurr had to hold onto right now.   
  
Starscream returned the kiss eagerly, making a little warble in his throat, as he wrapped his arms around Blurr, an embrace so warm and comforting. His tongue slipped into Blurr’s mouth, warm and wet and slightly rough, and he tasted of sweet things. His feathers tickled where they brushed the few bare spots of Blurr’s skin. He smelled so good, and he was warm, and his arms tightened around Blurr.   
  
Need yawed inside of him. His dick throbbed, responding as it always did when Starscream got close to him, when his tongue touched Blurr’s, or his lips, or when he smiled, or when he touched Blurr at all. Curiosity fueled much of the arousal, but so did genuine need. It was natural, wasn’t it? To be close to the one you cared for and want to touch them, be naked with them, inside and out.   
  
Blurr made a noise, one he was too embarrassed to define, and he deepened the kiss. It turned sloppy and wet, hotter. His hands shook where they held Starscream, pulling him down as much as he was capable. His fingers carded through feathers, silky where the plume slipped against his skin. Damn their height difference!   
  
Hands curled around his thighs, lifting him up, and it was the easiest thing in the universe to wrap his legs around Starscream’s waist, to let the harpy take the burden of his weight. Starscream was abnormally strong, and it never ceased to amaze Blurr, though all it took was several steps forward in the small dormroom for Starscream to drop Blurr down onto the bed. All without losing the kiss, dizzying as it was.   
  
The clash of teeth and tongue, a hot mouth over his throat, his neck, before Starscream devoured his lips again. Arousal pushed through Blurr in a wave of heat, and he found himself rolling up against Starscream, his dick swelling in his jeans, throbbing to the same frantic beat of his heart.   
  
It was an awkward, wriggling scramble backward onto the bed, with Starscream crawling atop him, long feathers trailing behind him, until he blanketed Blurr with his body and heat.  
  
Inevitable progression, Blurr’s brain whispered, and he shivered. His insides twisted and tightened, even as he clamped his thighs around Starscream’s hips and urged the harpy closer, his mouth sealing over Starscream’s. Pinned between Starscream and the bed, heat swallowed him whole.   
  
His heart beat faster and faster, his legs wrapped around Starscream’s waist, and Starscream’s hands still on his thighs, keeping him in place. They were fully clothed, but Blurr felt naked, stripped even, as Starscream rolled down against him, and Blurr rocked up to meet him. It was pressure on his groin, and Starscream’s lips on his, and the distinct throb-throb-throb of his dick as it was trapped between their bodies and the friction of his clothes.   
  
The heat of Starscream’s mouth moved to his throat, teeth grazing over his Adam’s apple, and Blurr moaned. His hands buried themselves in feathers, holding tight, his hips rolling harder and harder against the firm pressure of Starscream’s body. His stomach turned to knots of want, and clothing seemed like the worst kind of barrier. Blurr shivered, another urgent sound spilling through his clenched teeth.   
  
“Star, I’m gonna--” He cut off, choking down a moan, his hips bucking hard against Starscream’s, dick throbbing so hard he felt the beat of it in his ears.   
  
Starscream’s grip on his thighs tightened, pulling him harder against Starscream. His teeth scraped a harsher line against Blurr’s throat, tongue lashing all the space between, and Blurr groaned.   
  
Pleasure lanced through Blurr like a static shock. He jerked, thrusting up against Starscream, dick pulsing in the confines of his jeans. He came, spilling inside his own goddamn pants, moaning like he’d been bent over the bed and screwed within an inch of his life. His thighs squeezed Starscream’s hips, a shuddery breath leaving him, only to be stolen by Starscream’s lips.   
  
He sagged in Starscream’s arms, body trembling, heat flushing everywhere. Echoes of pleasure made his stomach tighten and his heart kept up that frantic pace. He struggled to draw in breaths, around the long, lazy kisses Starscream planted on him, until he was dizzy with it. Until Starscream finally drew back enough to rest his forehead against Blurr’s.   
  
“Thank you for your pleasure,” he murmured.   
  
Blurr groaned and just knew he was blushing. “I came in my pants like some teenager.” He squirmed beneath Starscream, feeling the squishiness centered around his groin. “And worse, you didn’t get anything out of it.”   
  
“I wouldn’t say that.” Starscream chuckled and nuzzled him. “I’m afraid your clothes are a bit wet now, however.”   
  
What? Really?   
  
Blurr looked down between their bodies, but all he could see was fluff and feathers and more of the same. No sign of anything that could be a harpy’s, errr, genitals.   
  
“I can change,” Blurr said and leaned up, kissing Starscream again, this time slow and savoring. His body still hummed from the pleasure.   
  
“Thank you for my present,” Starscream murmured against his lips.   
  
 _I love you_ , Blurr wanted to say, in return, and startled himself with how genuine it felt and how he suddenly wanted to blurt it out. Until the terror set in, and he forced himself to swallow down the words.   
  
“You’re welcome,” he said instead, and tried not to hate himself for being a coward.   
  


~

  
  
A wipedown with a washcloth and a change of clothes later – all done in the privacy of the bathroom, because he could kiss Starscream and hump him to orgasm but apparently not change in front of him, and Blurr found himself back where he expected to spend most of winter break. Cuddled in a nest of pillows and blankets on the bed, with Starscream, snacks nearby and a movie playing in the background.   
  
“So,” Blurr said as he buried himself in the warmth of Starscream’s feathers, “Two whole weeks?”   
  
“If you’ll have me,” Starscream confirmed.   
  
“That’s not even a question.” Blurr curled an arm around Starscream’s body, ear pressed to the harpy’s chest, as he listened to the slower beat of Starscream’s core. “Think I could visit the aerie someday?”   
  
Starscream looked down at him, eyes startled. “You’d want to?”   
  
“Of course! It’s your home.”   
  
“Well then, yes. I’d love to take you. Introduce you.” Starscream grinned and nuzzled him, his exhalations a warm tease that never failed to make Blurr shiver. “In spring though. It’s too cold for a human right now.”  
  
“Right. Because I don’t grow my own goosedown blanket.”   
  
Starscream poked him in the side with a talon. “You’re a brat sometimes.”   
  
Blurr laughed. “So are you.” After all, who was the one who barged into Blurr’s life, made themselves at home, and refused to abandon him? Starscream, that’s who.   
  
Thank Primus for that.   
  


~

  
  
“Do we have to?”   
  
Blurr never thought he’d ever be treated to the sound of Starscream whining, but here it was, and he didn’t know if he was sympathetic or amused or annoyed. Possibly a mix of all three.   
  
Starscream trudged along behind him, taloned feet splashing and crunching through the mix of sleet and snow blanketing the sidewalks.   
  
“You’re the one who accepted the invitation in the first place,” Blurr reminded him over his shoulder. He swept the back of his hand over his freezing nose.   
  
Winters in Kaon were so brief. Every year he chastised himself for not buying a heavier coat, and every year, he still didn’t do it because it seemed like a waste.   
  
“I wasn’t fully aware of what I was agreeing to,” Starscream muttered.   
  
“Then this will teach you not to say yes to something you don’t fully understand.” Blurr couldn’t fight his grin any longer.   
  
Oh, he wasn’t anymore enthused as this was definitely Starscream’s fault. But at least he could blame Starscream and listen to his partner cutely complain about it the whole time, only to enjoy himself when he inevitably became the center of attention.   
  
Starscream did so like attention.   
  
Starscream grumbled something Blurr didn’t catch, not because it was too quiet, but because it was in that distinct click-whistle chirp language of the harpies. He’d claimed he’d teach Blurr someday, but Blurr was doubtful his human larynx could replicate the sounds.   
  
Blurr didn’t bother to reply. It was too cold to argue honestly. Cold enough his breath puffed out in icy bursts of grey, and whatever lingering arousal he’d had was gone. It was difficult to say what annoyed Starscream the most at the moment – that he’d agreed to this holiday party without realizing it, or that he’d had to abandon trying to consume Blurr so they wouldn’t miss it.   
  
Blurr shoved his cold hands into his pockets – even with gloves they were freezing – buried himself further in his coat, and picked up the pace. Carefully down the hill, around the corner, through a narrow walkway cut between a row of bushes, and equally carefully up a set of railed stairs, until the Morrow Bunkhouse rose in front of him.   
  
Four stories, each story housing two separate, private apartments, and surrounded by tall trees creaking and rattling in the winter breeze, the Morrow Bunkhouse looked like the perfect setting for a slasher movie. So it came as no surprise that Miko and Sari rented one of the apartments in this building.   
  
They’d invited him and Starscream for a winter holiday party. And then they’d extended that invitation to others they knew Starscream would enjoy spending time with including Rathi and TJ. Blurr didn’t know if Richard would be present, but he assumed so, and probably some members of HARP as well.   
  
Something fluttered in front of his face.   
  
Blurr paused and blinked as another one drifted down, falling on his nose. He looked up with a small smile. He hated the cold, but he loved the snow, and a fresh fall had come. It wasn’t heavy, probably wouldn’t stick unless the temperature dropped further, but it was pretty.   
  
He kept going, climbing the small set of stairs leading up to the porch and the main entrance. He kicked his boots against the edge of the stair, knocking loose the mud and ice, and peered over his shoulder.   
  
Starscream had paused, head tilted back, palms lifted. His lips curved, his eyes closed, the fluff of his feathers fluttering in the faint breeze. Little specks of snow landed on him, instantly melting, but creating little glimmers in the brief dots of moisture.   
  
Primus, he was beautiful.   
  
“We’re going to be late,” Blurr called to him. He didn’t want to shatter the moment, but the truth was, they were already running late.   
  
Starscream had drug his heels, dragged Blurr back into his arms, distracted him with several more kisses and strokes. By the time Blurr wrangled free and checked the time, it was too late to make a gracious entry.   
  
Starscream’s eyes opened, and he lowered his hands. “I’m coming,” he grumbled. “Or not, as the case may be.”   
  
Blurr laughed before he could help himself. “It’s not my fault you started something before we had a place to be.”   
  
“It’s your fault for letting me continue,” Starscream said as he climbed the stairs, the old wood creaking beneath his weight. He shook his head, shaking off the droplets of melted snow, and gave Blurr a heated look. “I expect reimbursement when we get back tonight.”   
  
Heat flooded Blurr’s cheeks. “We’ll see.”   
  
The door opened before Starscream could respond.   
  
“Blurr! Starscream!” Miko came pelting out, a wide grin on her face, a hideous holiday sweater somehow flashing with lights and glitter. “You’re late, but you made it!”   
  
She threw her arms over his shoulder, and Blurr staggered under the unexpected hug. He went still, and she squeezed him tight, smelling of sugar and cinnamon and faintly, of whiskey. Someone had hit the bottle already.   
  
“Yeah, we did,” Blurr said with an awkward pat to her back. “Can you let me go now?”   
  
Miko giggled and bounced back on her heels, her cheeks flushed and her hair loose from the usual pigtails. “Come on. Come inside.” She grabbed his hand and pulled, and she was unnaturally strong for someone so small.   
  
Blurr staggered along after her, Starscream snickering in his wake. Blurr tossed a glare over his shoulder – forever Starscream’s fault, he would swear it – and they plunged into an overwarm foyer. Two sets of stairs curved to the left and right, leading to a second level.   
  
Miko, however, dragged him past the stairs to a doorway just beyond it, 1B printed on a bright copper plaque. The door was cracked, and cheerful music spilled from out.   
  
“They’re here!” Miko announced as she slapped the door open, and Blurr nearly tripped over his own feet as she tugged him inside.   
  
Thankfully, she let him go just inside the doorway, and he was able to catch himself there on the welcome mat, blinking at the sudden shift from overcast sky to painfully bright interior lighting. The sound of a crackling fire threw him at first, until he realized it was coming from the television, but it was roasting hot inside. They must have had the thermostat way up.   
  
“Finally!” Sari peeked out from a nearby doorway, with what looked like flour dusting her cheekbone. “You’re only thirty minutes late, no big deal.”   
  
“It’s Blurr’s fault,” Starscream announced from where he leaned into the doorway, head ducked a little to accommodate his crest feathers.   
  
Sari grinned. “Starscream! Hurry up and get in here. You’re letting out the heat.”   
  
Starscream obeyed, carefully shutting the door behind him. “My apologies.”   
  
“Ignore her. She’s the same person who leaves every light in the apartment on, and then complains the power bill is too high,” Miko said as she dropped down onto the couch and propped her feet up on the coffee table, snagging a cup of what looked like egg nog as she did so.   
  
Possibly spiked egg nog.   
  
Thank, Primus. Blurr was going to need alcohol if he was going to survive this.   
  
“Dae!”  
  
For the second time that night, Blurr was tackled by a hug, though this one much more welcome as he recognized the voice immediately. He grinned as Rathi threw her arms around him and planted a sloppy kiss on his cheek, sure to leave a smear of lipstick behind. Her earrings jangled noisily, and like Miko, she was wearing a hideous holiday sweater, and she’d capped her hair with a set of glittering reindeer horns.   
  
“I was beginning to think you weren’t going to make it,” Rathi said before she let him go and gave Starscream the same treatment, though she had to rise to her tiptoes to plant a kiss on his cheek.   
  
“Dae doesn’t know how to be on time,” TJ said, and Blurr followed his voice to a nearby hallway, where TJ emerged, rubbing his hands down his thighs as if drying them.   
  
Blurr rolled his eyes. “That’s a lie and you know it.” He kicked off his boots near the stack of them already by the door and pulled off his coat, too. There was a stack of those on the back of a chair, so he tossed his over it.   
  
Starscream shook like a dog, feathers fluffing out to help dry them, until Sari bounced up with a bright blue kitchen towel. He took it gratefully, patting over his feathers to wick away the melting snow.   
  
“What did we miss?” Starscream asked as he returned the towel to Sari.   
  
“Nothing important really. Food’s almost done,” Miko tossed over the back of the couch without looking. “You’re just in time for the party games.”   
  
“Wow, aren’t you glad you didn’t miss those?” TJ drawled as he came over and tugged Blurr in for a hug before offering Starscream a hand to shake.   
  
“What a relief,” Blurr said, deadpan. He tugged off his scarf and gloves, shoving one into the pocket of his coat and throwing the other into the pile of outerwear.   
  
From across the room, Rathi noisily sucked in a breath. “Song Dae-Hyeun!” she near-shrieked and stomped his direction, pointing a shaking finger at him. “What in Primus’ name is that? Did you do this?” She whirled on TJ and socked him in the shoulder. “You know better than that.”   
  
“Ow!” TJ hissed and slid away, rubbing his shoulder. “You hit like a damn heavyweight champion, Rathi. Don’t do that. And no, I didn’t do it.”   
  
Blurr frowned. “Do what?” He couldn’t help it, he’d jumped when Rathi used his full name. It was an ingrained instinct at this point.   
  
“This.” Rathi grabbed him by the shoulders and spun him toward a mirror hanging on the wall by the door. She pointed to his neck.   
  
And the large red splotch of a hickey on the left side of his throat. It was dark and speckled, and Blurr suddenly remembered when Starscream had given it to him, and the way he’d gasped and bucked beneath the harpy, desire throbbing through his groin. Starscream’s teeth had scraped his skin as he’d growled in a low tone, before his mouth sealed over Blurr’s in a hungry kiss.   
  
“This had better not belong to Josiah,” Rathi hissed, her eyes flashing with anger, though it wasn’t toward Blurr, but rather the memory of Josiah.   
  
She’d not been fond of him either. Perhaps that should have been his first clue, that neither TJ nor Rathi had ever liked Josiah.   
  
“Of course not.” Blurr slapped his hand over his neck, embarrassment turning his face a brilliant scarlet. He glanced into the mirror and caught Starscream’s gaze, the heat burning in his lover’s eyes.   
  
“Really.” Rathi spun him back around, her hands on his shoulders, her face inches away. “I know it wasn’t me. TJ claims it wasn’t him.”   
  
“It wasn’t! Just for the record,” TJ chimed in. He leaned nearby, hip cocked against the back of the coat-laden chair, his arms crossed. He looked worried.   
  
“It wasn’t TJ, and it wasn’t Josiah,” Blurr said. He looked at the floor because he worried if he looked at Starscream, he would give himself away.   
  
Rathi’s eyes widened. “Are you seeing someone?”   
  
“Well, he obviously didn’t do that to himself,” TJ said with two raised eyebrows.   
  
Blurr wondered if it was possible to die from embarrassment. His face was so red the blush had spread to his ears, he could feel the heat of it. “Yes, I am,” he said, and ducked out of Rathi’s grip to get some space. “And, no. I’m not telling you who it is. I’m not ready to announce it yet.”   
  
“And why not?” Rathi asked, hands on her hips, like she’d transformed into his mother in the past few moments rather than his best friend and former lover, and dear Primus, Blurr wished he hadn’t just had that thought.   
  
“Because I’m not,” Blurr ground out. He folded his arms and hunched his shoulders, but he couldn’t stop himself from glancing at Starscream. The damn harpy was all but preening, his lips spread in a wide, possessive grin, and a heat in his eyes that spoke of a promise for later.   
  
A shiver spread heat up Blurr’s spine.   
  
He chewed on his bottom lip and stared hard at the ground. “It’s new and I don’t want to ruin it by making a big deal out of it just yet,” he said.   
  
You could have heard a pin drop, despite the crackle of the fake fire and the cheerful chirps of the holiday music floating tinny out of the kitchen.   
  
“It’s someone special then,” Rathi said after a moment. She gave a long, decisive nod. “Good. That’s good, Dae. That’s all I want to hear.” She slid her arms over his shoulders, giving him a warm embrace. “You can tell me the juicy details later. When you’re ready.”   
  
Can, she said, though there was always an implication of demand. And Blurr would, of course, tell both of them. When he was sure they’d understand, and he wouldn’t lose them because of it. He didn’t have many people in his life who meant something to him. He didn’t have his family anymore.   
  
He didn’t want to lose TJ and Rathi.   
  
“I will. Promise.”   
  
“I know you do.” Rathi grinned and held his face, rising up to press a kiss to the tip of his nose. “Now. Let’s party. It’s a holiday!” She patted his cheeks and let him go before spinning around, flicking her long braid over her shoulder.   
  
“I have plenty of egg nog!” Miko announced from the couch, and Rathi threw her legs over the side of the arms to join her.   
  
“Starscream, come join us,” Rathi insisted, scooting herself and Miko over to make room on the couch. She patted the empty cushion. “I’m sure you know all about Dae’s new boyfriend, don’t you?”   
  
Starscream caught Blurr’s gaze from across the room and winked. “I don’t know anything,” he declared as he moved to join the two women, sitting carefully as if worried the couch would not support his weight. “Except, of course, that he’s very charming, impossibly handsome, and extremely smart.”   
  
“Blurr has the best taste,” Rathi said. “I find this very easy to believe.”   
  
Starscream chuckled and pecked a kiss on Rathi’s cheek. “He chose you once, so I must agree.” He peered over her shoulder into her hand. “What are you drinking?”   
  
“It’s egg nog. Spiked, too. Want to try it?” She offered it up.   
  
Starscream gave it a tentative sniff, his nose wrinkling in the way Blurr always found adorable. “By spiked I gather you mean alcoholic.”   
  
“Is there anything better?”   
  
They shared a laugh.   
  
“You know, you can move out of the doorway.” Blurr tore his gaze away from his former lover and his current lover as TJ approached, gently taking his elbow and pulling him from the door. His grip was as firm and careful as Rathi’s had been.   
  
“Yeah, I know. It’s just… Rathi. She’s a whirlwind.” Blurr managed a laugh as TJ pulled him over near a set of glass double doors which led out to a small patio, currently being covered in a light dusting of snow.   
  
They didn’t go outside. They just hovered in front of the doors, which were just reflective enough that their reflections stared back at them. In it, Blurr could also see Rathi and Starscream and Miko on the couch, animatedly chatting. Peripherally, he caught Sari stick her head out of what must have been the kitchen and shout for Miko’s help.   
  
“She’s an unstoppable force,” TJ agreed. He gently bumped Blurr’s shoulder with his, and offered a gentle smile. “I’m happy for you, Blurr. You certainly look happy. I know that’s something we all want.”   
  
He looked happy?   
  
That was actually kind of nice to know.   
  
“He’s amazing,” Blurr admitted, because it was killing him that he couldn’t talk about Starscream as freely as he wanted. “It’s… it’s complicated, otherwise I’d tell you both about it. But yeah, I’m happy. Right now, I’m happy.”   
  
He realized, maybe a bit belatedly, that there was nothing about his statement he could call a lie. He was happy with Starscream, complications and all.   
  
“Good.” TJ clapped a hand on Blurr’s shoulder, giving it a squeeze. “I’m glad to hear it.”   
  
Blurr smiled.   
  
Honestly?   
  
He was, too.   
  


*


	11. Chapter 11

It snowed on New Years Eve. Thick, heavy clumps of snow that piled up fast and draped everything in huge drifts of white. It clogged the sky, turned it gray and silent, until the only splash of color was Starscream going out for his daily flight while Blurr followed along below on his daily run.   
  
It was more difficult now, since the groundskeepers and janitorial staff were also gone for their holiday. Snow crunched beneath his runners and bits of it trickled in to attack his ankles. It was bitterly cold, no matter how fast he ran, and he had to watch out for underlying ice slicks. He couldn’t afford to fall and break something.   
  
It would be really hard to explain Starscream to whatever ambulance crew came to get him.   
  
Blurr spent all afternoon peering out the window, hoping the snow would stop in time for the show tonight. He and Starscream had plans he didn’t want the weather to ruin.   
  
Luckily, he got his wish.   
  
It was ridiculously cold, but at least the snow had stopped. The air was crisp and icy, and the tip of Blurr’s nose was freezing.  
  
It was a stupid idea to come out here.   
  
“I’m going to have so much laundry to do tomorrow,” Blurr said as Starscream yanked him down into the pile of blankets they’d hauled up onto the roof, and wrapped him up in heavily feathered arms.   
  
Starscream chuckled. “That’s your fault for leaving it all until the last minute, isn’t it?” He pressed his head against Blurr’s, his exhalations all warm and sweet.   
  
“And your fault, too, for being such a distraction,” Blurr grumbled, wriggling around until he was comfortable, leaning back in Starscream’s embrace at the sky, still gray, though stars peeked through breaks in the cloud cover.   
  
Starscream purred – literally. “Then it just comes back to you again, for being so irresistible. Though I can’t hardly get to you in all these layers.”   
  
“That’s because it’s freezing out here,” Blurr grumbled with a theatrical shiver. But it’d be worth it, he decided.   
  
Starscream had to return to the aerie in the next few days. It was the start of a brand new year. From the roof, they would be able to see the midnight fireworks show from over the mountain. Blurr couldn’t imagine a more romantic setting.   
  
It was still freezing. Which was why they’d waited until the last possible moment to take up a perch out here. Five minutes to midnight.   
  
The last thing Blurr wanted to do was catch a cold before the Spring semester started.   
  
“Then let me keep you warm.” Starscream tightened his embrace around Blurr, his lips tickling into the barely visible hollow beneath his right ear.   
  
Blurr shivered. It had nothing to do with the cold.   
  
They still hadn’t done much more than kiss and a little fondling and the dry (wet) humping, but a single touch from Starscream made him flush hot all over. Inevitable progression, his brain reminded him, and Blurr hoped when it got to that point, he’d be ready.   
  
“If I get any warmer, I might have to start taking off layers,” Blurr said with a little laugh. His heart was beating ridiculously fast. “Besides, save your lips. We gotta wait until midnight.”   
  
Starscream chuckled into his ear. “I’m nowhere near your mouth, Blurr.” Teeth and tongue became a hot pressure against the side of Blurr’s throat.   
  
He swallowed down a groan. “Tease.” He unburrowed a hand and glanced at his watch. Two minutes to go.   
  
“Says the man dressed in so many layers he knows I can’t remove,” Starscream retorted with a little nip.   
  
Blurr jerked and shivered, heat gathering in his groin. One of Starscream’s hands rested on his right thigh, and the weight of it felt like some kind of erotic promise.   
  
“Defense mechanism,” Blurr murmured even as he tilted his head to give Starscream more access. “You’re so curious sometimes.”   
  
Starscream outright laughed. “Can you blame me?”   
  
“Can and do.”   
  
Lights danced on the horizon, capturing Blurr’s attention. There were small bursts of color, preludes to the real show, and an announcement. Less than a minute now.   
  
Starscream’s mouth left his neck and his head tucked against Blurr’s. “Never spent New Years with anyone before,” the harpy said quietly. “Thanks for inviting me.”   
  
“There is no one else I would rather be here with,” Blurr replied, his face heating at the confession, no matter how true it was. “Thank you for being here, by the way. It’s… nice to not be alone.”   
  
“I can’t imagine anywhere else I’d rather be,” Starscream replied as he lifted a hand, one knuckle gently scrubbing over the bottom curve of Blurr’s jaw. “If it were possible to stay here forever, I would.”   
  
Blurr’s throat felt tight all of a sudden.   
  
Inevitable futures, came the unnecessary reminder. The discussions they hadn’t had. Questions that needed answering. Where was this going? Could it last?   
  
The pop-flare of the fireworks increased in earnest. Blurr’s watch started beeping, counting down the final ten seconds of a year that had seemed to whirr by with more happiness than he could have ever imagined.   
  
He nuzzled Starscream’s face with his own, no longer tickled by the soft brush of feathers against his bare skin. For all that the wind was bitter cold, he didn’t feel it. Not in the warmth of Starscream’s embrace.   
  
The fireworks increased, faster and larger and brighter, explosions of color against the dark. A large one shrieked into the sky, climbing higher and higher, until it burst into a rainbow with a boom so loud Blurr felt it in his chest. His watch skittered into an alarm.   
  
Midnight.   
  
“Happy new year,” Blurr said as he tilted up to face Starscream.   
  
“I love you,” Starscream said, in return.   
  
Blurr’s breath caught. And then Starscream was kissing him, soft and sweet and warm, the pressure of his mouth, his lips, the barest sweep of his tongue.   
  
The firework show continued, louder and bigger and brighter, and each boom rattled through Blurr, but still with less power than the echo of Starscream’s words in his ears. In the end, it was once again, Starscream who was much braver than him.   
  
Blurr cupped the back of Starscream’s neck with his hand and pressed their foreheads together, his eyes clenched shut. “That was unfair,” he murmured.   
  
“Because I didn’t give you a chance to object?”   
  
“Because I wanted to say it first!” Blurr drew in a heavy breath and lifted his gaze, meeting Starscream’s. His insides tightened when he saw the flash of worry and hesitation on the harpy’s face. “I do, too. You know. Love you, I mean.”   
  
There were a lot of things Blurr didn’t know. Questions they had yet to answer. Uncertainties about the future. But this thing. This one thing, he knew for certain.   
  
He was happiest when he was with Starscream. And if that wasn’t love, then Blurr didn’t know what else it could be.   
  
“And I wish you never had to leave, too,” Blurr added, because as long as he was making embarrassing confessions, he might as well go all out, right?   
  
Starscream made a sound at him, a cross between a purr and a hum. “I promise I’ll come back. I always will.”   
  
Blurr kissed him again, deeper this time, indulging himself in the press of their bodies, and the taste of Starscream on his lips.   
  
They stayed up on the roof for far too long. Until not even the shared warmth of their bodies, Starscream’s feathers, and the thickness of the blankets could keep them from shivering. Blurr couldn’t feel his nose, and his fingers were stiff, and there was a tickle in the back of his throat which better not be the start of a cold.   
  
Begrudgingly, they went back inside, where the warmer temperatures made their limbs tingle and their faces itch. Well, Blurr’s anyway. Starscream shook off the cold, feathers fluffing up, and unfroze with far more ease.   
  
Blurr showered alone and indulged in filling the room with steam. All the hot water in the world, actually, since Blurr was one of the few remaining in the dorms and didn’t have to fight anyone else for it. He didn’t take too long, because Starscream was waiting for him, and he snuggled into warm pajamas, toweling his hair dry as quickly as possible.   
  
His dorm room was dim, lit only by a few candles here and there, mostly unscented that Blurr had bought on a whim. Starscream waited for him on the bed, already nestled in the pile of cushions and pillows and blankets, and Blurr eagerly joined him, crawling into the warm, feathered embrace.   
  
Starscream kissed him, soft and sweet and tasting faintly of chocolate.   
  
Blurr hummed and snuggled under Starscream’s chin. “Did you drink the last packet of my hot cocoa?”   
  
“I might have.” Starscream laughed, his voice vibrating against Blurr’s head. “You were taking a long time in the shower.”   
  
“Not that long!”   
  
“I was thirsty,” Starscream swept his arms around Blurr, palms sliding up and down his back, sending shivers up Blurr’s spine. “I didn’t make it like you do, though, so it was pretty disappointing.”   
  
Blurr chuckled and tangled his legs with Starscream’s, snuggling more into his chest fluff. It was not unlike laying on a feather pillow. “That’s what you get.” His jaw cracked in a yawn. “We’ll go shopping in the morning. Get more.”   
  
“Shopping?” Starscream’s voice lifted at the end and excitement ran a tangible shiver through his body.   
  
“Yes, shopping. At the grocery store.” Blurr closed his eyes, feeling exhaustion tug at every limb. “It should be pretty quiet. Most people will be nursing hangovers.”   
  
“I’ve not been to a human store yet. It should prove interesting,” Starscream murmured.   
  
Blurr hummed an affirmative. “Sleep now.”   
  
“Yes. Sleep.” Starscream stroked a hand down his back, like one might pet their cat, and Blurr had to admit, it was very soothing.   
  
He fell into dreams just like that, tangled up with the harpy he loved, and though it was a situation more complicated than anything he’d ever fathomed, he was happy.   
  


~

  
  
Morning came, but by the time Blurr willingly dragged himself out of the warm nest he and Starscream had made, it was better approaching noon. Breakfast was the last two packets of pop-tarts divided between he and Starscream – strawberry flavor, of course, because they were Starscream’s favorite. They also finished the bottle of orange juice, because it was about to expire, and Blurr needed room in the fridge.  
  
“You know, if I wasn’t out of food, I’d have stayed in bed all day,” Blurr said as he pulled on his winter gear. Last night smelled of snow and a quick glance out the window confirmed a fresh fall.   
  
“I would have preferred that.” Starscream came up behind Blurr, nuzzling into the nape of his neck before Blurr threw his scarf over his shoulders to cover himself. "Aww. I was enjoying that."  
  
"And pop-tarts aren't part of a balanced breakfast," Blurr laughed. "We have to go shopping, Star. Or at least I do. I can't live on take out alone." He paused and amended, "Well, I mean, I could, but my wallet doesn't support that kind of lifestyle."  
  
Starscream chuckled and helped zip him into his winter jacket. "Fair enough." He tugged Blurr close and dipped his head for a brief kiss. "But we should definitely make it a quick shopping trip."  
  
"Why do you have plans?" Blurr asked.  
  
"Oh, so many." Starscream planted a kiss on Blurr's nose and then purposefully backed away. "But if we don't leave now, we won't."  
  
A flush of heat crept over Blurr's skin, and it had nothing to do with the layers of winter gear covering him. He tugged on his gloves. "You'll be okay in the cold?"  
  
"I don't grow a winter coat for nothing." Starscream cocked his head, preening.  
  
"And a gorgeous coat it is." Blurr opened the door, gesturing for Starscream to precede him. "Come on then. It's time for another new experience."  
  
And what an adventure it would be. Blurr was sure of it. He hadn't taken Starscream to Safeway yet, as it was more of a franchise than a locally owned business, but it was the closest grocery store to Blurr's dorm, and he didn't fancy trudging across campus for the local store. If the ground wasn't covered in ice and snow, he probably would have. But not this morning. Not with it cold enough to see his breath, and the sidewalks covered in a fresh coat of precipitation, making it for treacherous walking.  
  
Though Starscream seemed to handle it just fine. Blurr was a bit envious of how easily his talons seemed to help him keep his balance in the slippery slush. The cold didn't bother him either. His steps were far more jaunty.  
  
A few blocks away, the neon sign of Safeway gleamed, bright against the winter gray sky. There were only a half-dozen cars in the parking lot, most of them employees Blurr was sure. This was a college town. Most people were still asleep.  
  
Blurr passed a sign on the door 'No Pets Allowed' and he chuckled a bit. Did Starscream count?  
  
Holiday music still spilled from the speakers as Blurr grabbed a cart and peeled off his gloves and spark. It was suffocatingly hot in here, unsurprisingly, and his face tingled at the shift. Starscream perked up immediately, head swinging left and right to take it all in, but eyes narrowed at the bright, overhead lights.  
  
Blurr angled them toward the hot bar, stomach grumbling appreciatively at the scent of cooked foods, especially their Asian-inspired dishes. Fried rice, fried chicken nuggets, egg rolls and spring rolls -- what a perfect lunch. Starscream peered over his shoulder, into the hot display case.  
  
"Oh, I recognize that stuff," Starscream said, nose almost pressed to the glass. "Are we getting some?"  
  
"If you'd like."  
  
“I would. I like the rolls. They’re crunchy.” Starscream tilted his head, carefully tucking his hands behind his back. “The vegetable ones though, not the ones with meat in them.”   
  
Blurr chuckled. “Yes, I remember.” He lifted his head, caught the attention of the worker behind the counter.   
  
While he placed their order, his stomach grumbling all the while, Starscream examined all of the display baskets arranged in front of the case. Blurr watched out of the corner of his eye as Starscream poked at the bundles of butter rolls, the packs of donuts, and the boxes of weird, cheesy straw crackers. He picked up the little bottles arranged across the top of the hot display case, reading the labels, his lips moving silently to himself.   
  
It was unfair for a harpy to be this adorable.   
  
Blurr thanked the worker and tucked the hot food into the cart. Starscream still diligently examined labels.   
  
“See something you like?” Blurr asked.   
  
“I don’t really know what this is,” Starscream answered as he set the bottle of barbeque sauce back down. “I can’t understand half the ingredients.”   
  
“To be fair, neither can most humans. We buy it anyway.” Blurr steered forward. He figured he might as well make this an experience and wander up and down every aisle.   
  
He had a list at the back of his mind, but with Starscream tagging along, he had a feeling he’d end up with a lot of random things.   
  
“That doesn’t sound very smart.”   
  
“It isn’t.” Blurr steered them down the aisle against the far right wall, the dairy section, and he picked up a carton of milk and two tubes of instant cinnamon rolls. “But we’re a long way from growing our own produce, and raising our own livestock, and making our own foods from scratch.”   
  
“Hmm.” Starscream tucked his hands behind his back, head bobbing as he looked left and right, taking in the rows upon rows of different brands and flavors of dairy products. “What is yogurt anyway?”   
  
Blurr paused by said product. “I honestly have no idea. It’s like curdled milk with flavoring and bacteria that’s supposed to be good for your stomach.” He squinted. “Or something. Some of it has fruit in it. Want some?”   
  
Starscream squinted. “Bacteria? You never told me it had bacteria in it!”   
  
“The good kind, I think.” Blurr scanned the shelves and found the ones with strawberries on the bottom. “Here. You like these, don’t you? They’ve got loads of sugar in them.”   
  
Starscream snorted, but obediently peered at the label. “I can’t read some of these ingredients either.” He gave the package a sniff, not that he’d be able to smell anything through the plastic and foil. “I should have paid more attention before.”   
  
Blurr grabbed a box of go-gurt and tossed it into the cart. “You don’t have to keep eating them if you don’t want to.”   
  
“I need good bacteria, I guess,” Starscream said and carefully added the small cup into the basket, and his eyes lit up when he saw the tubes of cinnamon roll dough. “You can buy these like this?” He scooped up the tube and peered at it intently.   
  
“Yes. They’re not as good, but they’re decent for a lazy day in.” Blurr gave the cart a push, and it squeaked onward, passed the cheese and butter and eggs, to the deli/bakery in the back corner.   
  
Starscream trailed behind him, tumbling the tube of cinnamon rolls back into the cart. Blurr kept half an eye on him as he was on a lookout for his own needs, so he noticed when Starscream slowed and stopped. Blurr tumbled two pre-made sandwiches into the cart, and backtracked.   
  
The harpy was holding a fresh pasta kit, the spinach and feta stuffed ravioli pillows that required only a pot of water and a stove, plus sauce if you were so inclined. Blurr had eaten them before, when he’d had the energy to cook for himself.   
  
"You want to get those?"  
  
"Are they any good?" Starscream asked. "I'm intrigued by their design." He turned the package over and over in his hands. "And they have no meat, unlike just about everything else you humans eat."  
  
Blurr chuckled. "Well, we're omnivores. It comes with territory." He tilted his head toward the cart. "They're decent enough. Throw it in. We can make it for dinner tonight, if you want."  
  
"I want." Starscream added the pasta to their cart. "What's next?"  
  
A lot, as it turned out.  
  
Starscream found something of interest on every aisle, and he peppered Blurr with questions he didn't know the answer to. He honestly never thought much about where his food came from, beyond knowing that he'd bought it at the grocery store. He also didn't pay too much attention to labels or ingredients. If it tasted good and was affordable, he ate it.  
  
"I'm going to buy you a nutritionist book," Blurr grumbled as several packages of canned fruit joined the growing stack of groceries in their cart, landing with a thunk on top of a few bags of various dried nuts. "That way I can stop pretending I have any idea what I'm talking about."  
  
"You should know what you're eating," Starscream said with a sage nod, as if he didn't spend the occasional Saturday morning scarfing down an unhealthy amount of cinnamon rolls. He didn't ask where those came from, did he?  
  
Blurr eyed the harpy and pointedly tossed a pack of double-stuffed Oreos into the cart. "I know that these are cookies, and they taste good. That's what matters to me."  
  
They spent an absurd amount of time in the produce section. Starscream hemmed and hawed and examined each piece of fruit or vegetable with a scrutiny Blurr tended to reserve for complicated questions on his Calculus exams.  
  
Pineapples, in particular, fascinated him.  
  
"I’ve never seen such a fruit," he said as he carefully held it up, turning it this way and that. "It's definitely not native to Vos, and I'm quite sure, to this area."  
  
"They probably ship it in. It's a pineapple." Blurr grinned. "People like putting them on pizza and in smoothies and on holiday hams."  
  
Starscream's face scrunched in that cute way he did when he was perplexed by human behavior. "That's a wide array of uses."  
  
"It's versatile. Want to try it?" Blurr wasn't much a fan of pineapple fresh like this, but for Starscream, he was willing to drop the cash. He had a feeling it was going to be a great source of amusement.  
  
Besides, the cart was a confusing mishmash of groceries he'd eat, and groceries Starscream wanted to sample anyway. What would one more odd thing matter?  
  
Into the cart the pineapple went.  
  
It was also the last thing Blurr added. They were already going to have a good deal to carry back to his dorm, and he didn't want to shell out for a taxi. Anymore was pushing it.  
  
He guided them toward the checkout lanes, thankful that even with only one cashier, there wasn't a line. Checkout lanes were designed for impulse buys, and Starscream was the definition of an impulse buyer when it came to anything of fascination.  
  
The cashier didn't even blink at the sight of Starscream. She actually offered him a warm smile as she started to ring up the assorted items. "Good morning, Starscream."  
  
Starscream looked up from unloading the cart, and his feathers ruffled with delight. "Cherise! You work here?"  
  
Cherise, apparently, laughed. "Well, if I don't, I've been doing this for free all morning." She grinned. "I have to pay the bills somehow. Not all of us get by on our looks."  
  
"I'm a kept smol," Starscream said with an exaggerated bow, puffing up with pride.  
  
Cherise's gaze slid to Blurr. "This must be Blurr then." Her smile stayed warm and friendly. "I've heard so much about you, not just from featherbrain over there, but I read the school zine, too."  
  
Featherbrain?  
  
Starscream snorted. "Read, she says, as if she's not responsible for turning Miko and Sari's garbled issues into something coherent."  
  
"Guilty as charged," Cherise sang, her brown eyes twinkling with humor. She winked at Blurr. "I also happen to be the safety net between Star and a pair of nosy reporters who sometimes ask questions they shouldn't."  
  
"She's a lifesaver," Starscream said.  
  
Blurr didn't know how he felt at the moment. Starscream had never mentioned Cherise, and Blurr certainly didn't recognize her, other than in passing on previous shopping trips.  
  
"Nice to meet you," Blurr said, because that at least was true. Cherise was always pleasant, always had a smile. "Glad you've been taking care of my bird.”  
  
Starscream puffed up like Blurr knew he would, releasing an outraged noise that definitely resembled a squawk. "I'm not a bird!"  
  
Blurr chuckled and slid the cart ahead of him, moving to start bagging as quickly as he can. "I know." He grabbed his items, and frowned when he caught something unfamiliar. “I don’t remember picking this up.”   
  
He snagged the tiny, stuffed animal – it was a panda – and lifted his eyebrows at Starscream, who immediately coughed and made a big deal of rearranging the items on the conveyor belt. He didn’t meet Blurr’s gaze.   
  
“Do you not want that?” Cherise asked, reaching for it.   
  
Starscream’s feathers twitched. He very pointedly didn’t look at Blurr. Cans of soup became a haphazard stack on the rubbery belt.   
  
Blurr sighed and tucked it into the bag. “I must have forgotten it was on the list,” he said. “Keep going.”   
  
Cherise gave him a long look, her lips curving into a brighter smile. “Understood.”   
  
She kept scanning.   
  
Starscream coughed and tucked his hands behind his back. He sidled up to Blurr’s side, head tilted like a bird’s, as he watched the items spill down and Blurr bag them.   
  
“Thank you,” he murmured.   
  
Primus, but he was adorable. Blurr would buy him every stuffed animal on the shelf if that was what he wanted. He didn’t care that it was overpriced, if it gave Starscream the happy wiggle of his feathers.   
  
By the end, they had four heavy bags to carry between them, and Blurr’s wallet was a lot lighter, but he had enough groceries to get him through the first half of the month, and Starscream had a new toy. It was worth it, so worth it.   
  
“Come by the office sometime,” Cherise said as she handed him his receipt. “I know Miko and Sari haven’t asked yet, but we’d love to do an interview with both of you.”   
  
Blurr blinked. “Both of us? Like at the same time? Together?”   
  
“Well, that is how we can usually find you.” Cherise laughed and patted down the curly poof of her hair.   
  
Another customer walked up and Cherise briefly greeted her before gifting Blurr and Starscream with a wink. “I’ll talk to you later, okay? Just think about it.”   
  
She went back to work before Blurr could think of a suitable retort. Not that he was sure one was needed. Was he overreacting? It wasn’t that big of a deal. Everyone knew he a d Starscream were friends. She couldn’t have been implying anything else.   
  
Blurr grabbed the heavy bags, slinging one over a shoulder, and gestured for Starscream to take the other two. There was pep in Starscream’s step as he lifted them with ease – the reason Blurr had given him the heavier ones – and they walked out into a brisk, sunny noon. It was still bitterly cold.   
  
“You want to do that interview?” Starscream asked as he audibly inhaled, chest expanding to suck in the fresh air. He always seemed so much more alive when they were outside, as opposed to being indoors.   
  
Blurr nibbled on his bottom lip. “I suppose it depends on what kind of questions they’re planning to ask.” He gave Starscream a sidelong look. “You know how invasive Miko and Sari can be.”   
  
“Yes, but just because they ask doesn’t mean we have to answer.” Starscream shrugged, shoulders lifting in obvious unconcern. “I trust Cherise to put her foot down if she has to. She’s all business when it comes to editing and producing.”   
  
And that brought Blurr back around to the fact Starscream knew someone Blurr didn’t, that he’d befriended yet another person who wasn’t Blurr. He shouldn’t have felt so insidiously possessive, but he did somehow. Because every moment Starscream wasn’t with Blurr, he was with one of these other, possibly more intelligent and fascinating friends.   
  
People who had their futures decided, who were more than just useless lumps on society.   
  
Primus.   
  
“I’ll think about it,” Blurr allowed, and coughed over the lump in his throat, grateful that he could bury most of his expression in his scarf. “So? What do you think of grocery shopping? Is it anything like your aerie?”   
  
Starscream hummed thoughtfully. “Very different from Kaon. We are too small to bother with currency. All of our food and supplies are communal.”   
  
The bags swung as he walked, while Blurr had to re-situate his for the sake of his aching hand. Well, until Starscream reached out and took the one from his fingers, leaving him with only the one on his shoulder.   
  
“My home aerie of Vos had a functional economy, however,” Starscream continued as he walked easily through the slush and snow, Blurr moving along a bit more clumsily beside him. “We had merchants, but our shops were more contained. Less packaged and fewer varieties, but still quite a selection.”   
  
Blurr nodded, absorbing the details to distract himself from everything else. “It sounds very interesting. Very different.”   
  
“I still plan to take you some day,” Starscream said. “If you want to go. Maybe not to Vos, because they aren’t fond of humans there, but to Kaon at least. You’ll be one of the first humans to ever see it.” He paused and tilted his head. “Or you might be the very first period. I’m not sure. I’ll have to ask Perceptor.”   
  
Blurr moved closer, bumping shoulders with Starscream. “I want to go. I want to see your home.” He grinned, his heart swelling with warmth. “I want to eat your food and sleep in your bed and leave a mess in your room, and I want to meet your friends, and I want to see how you live.”   
  
He wanted to know Starscream, most of all. Know the harpy he loved beyond the filter of a human experience. He wanted to see Starscream in his natural element, to find out all the little details. He wanted to know everything there was to know about Starscream.   
  
Starscream stopped, and Blurr stopped with him. He tilted his head with curiosity while Starscream made a big production of looking around them. He nodded to himself as if deciding something before he swooped down, lips pecking over Blurr’s in the briefest of kisses.   
  
“Then I’ll take you,” Starscream said as he nuzzled Blurr’s cheek. “And you can sleep in my bed, and eat my food and leave a mess for me, and you’ll be welcome whenever you like in my home.”   
  
“Sounds perfect,” Blurr murmured. He nuzzled Starscream back before he forced himself to draw away, lest they attract too much attention. “But for now, we have to go back to my home, before the yogurt freezes.”   
  
Starscream laughed. “Agreed.”   
  


***


	12. Chapter 12

Spring semester started with a whimper rather than a bang. Blurr had his senior seminar to consider, and it was a three-hour class late on Wednesday nights, of which the end result would require a twenty page paper. 

He already was no good at writing papers, but he was especially untalented in writing twenty page papers that would be the entirety of his grade for the one class he needed to graduate. He wanted to tear his hair out from sheer frustration. He tried to balance it out by taking a bunch of easy classes he didn’t need, but he feared the stress would eat him alive. 

If it wasn’t so late, he’d change his major. At this point, he might as well have taken a degree in Avian Studies. If his current major wasn’t so far off the mark, he’d switch and call it a good decision. 

Business and Avian Studies had nothing to do with each other. He’d have to stay in the university for several more years if he switched, and he knew his scholarship wouldn’t cover the difference. 

Neither would his parents. 

On top of that, the spring heats would start soon, and Coach expected him to show his chops for the talent scouts that would be lurking in the stands. Blurr might be lucky and land a spot on an international team, and wouldn’t that solve more than a few problems? But he had to win for a chance at such an opportunity, and winning required practice and dedication. 

It was enough to make his head swim. 

So maybe. Just maybe, Blurr buried himself in Starscream more than he should have. Maybe he took solace in Starscream’s arms and his kisses, the warmth of him, his sweet scent, his laugh, his teasing. Maybe he tried to block out the confusing, convoluted world by focusing on something else, equally convoluted and confusing. 

Or maybe he really didn’t want Starscream to leave his bed. Especially since they’d hauled all the blankets and pillows onto the floor so they’d have a larger space without squeezing onto the bed. It meant they had more room to maneuver. 

Blurr had Starscream beneath him for once. Large, taloned hands gently cupped his ass, but Blurr had his hands buried in the pillows as he dotted Starscream’s face with kisses and nuzzled the harpy’s throat, inhaling the sweet scent of fruit and berries. His dick was a dull throb in his sweatpants, a growing swell he rocked down against Starscream’s belly, his breath coming in sharp pants.

“I don’t have time,” Starscream bemoaned, but he didn’t remove his hands, instead sliding them up, thumbs slipping Blurr’s shirt aside so he could spread his palms over Blurr’s bare back. 

His hands were hot, and Blurr shivered, knees clamping harder around Starscream’s thighs. He dragged his mouth back to Starscream’s, planting a kiss on the corner of it, tasting his lips. 

“Are you sure?” Blurr asked with a small laugh. He enjoyed being the one to tease for once, and the heat rising from Starscream was intoxicating. He rocked down again, dick throbbing, dampening the fabric of his sweatpants. 

One of Starscream’s hands dropped back to his ass, pulling him down hard. He bucked up to meet Blurr. They ground together, and Blurr felt an answering firmness against him, not that he knew how to name it. 

“I have responsibilities,” Starscream panted, but his other hand slid up Blurr’s back, the pads of his fingers tracing the line of his spine. “Why are you so tempting?” 

Blurr chuckled and nosed his way back to Starscream’s mouth, stealing his lips for a hungry kiss. He dug his knees into the pillow and blanket nest, rolling his hips to ride Starscream’s body, sweat gathering over his skin. 

Pleasure licked through his veins in little bursts of fireworks. He’d forgotten how good it felt, just to frot and grind against another person, bodies moving in an erotic song. At some point, sex had become all about mouths and taking, but there was something far more intimate, more racy about working to release while mostly clothed and hidden. 

It felt like a secret, and that turned Blurr on more than he knew was possible. 

“It’s your fault,” Blurr said against Starscream’s mouth. He bore down, grinding harder and faster against Starscream, pre-come dampening his boxers.

“I’ll gladly take the blame,” Starscream panted and abruptly turned, pinning Blurr beneath him as he devoured Blurr’s mouth, the weight of him bearing Blurr into the blankets. 

He moaned, arms and legs wrapping around Starscream as he rocked up, feathers forming a curtain around his body. Lips and teeth found their way to his throat, nibbling carefully, ever conscious of marks since Miko and Sari’s holiday party. They invited too many questions. 

Blurr shivered and carded his hands through Starscream’s feathers, his insides drawing tight, his dick throbbing as Starscream ground down on him. The firm press of his clava was a promise of something more, something Blurr wasn’t quite ready for, but had spent far too many nights thinking about. 

“We can be quick, right?” Blurr panted as he jerked upward, thighs trembling, rutting harder against Starscream. 

Starscream groaned, lips and teeth smashed against Blurr’s mouth, his eyes squeezed shut. “We have to be,” he said, and grabbed Blurr’s hips, rolling harder and faster, a mimicry of sex that made Blurr’s insides tighten with want. 

He gasped and grabbed Starscream’s head, holding him in place for a kiss, bruising for its intensity. Starscream ground him down into the pillows, a perfect pressure and a perfect motion against his dick. Pleasure spasmed through Blurr’s body like a lightning strike. His heart thudded in his chest, and his fingers would have bruised anyone else, he was sure of it. 

He bucked, fast and needy, and then he was coming in his pants, spilling hot and wet over his boxers. He’d lost count of the number of times he’d done this, and how much laundry he’d had to haul to the basement. But it was worth it. 

Because Starscream panted over his mouth and kept thrusting, rutting against him, and when he shuddered, it was because release took him as well. Blurr felt the wet spatter of come against his bared belly, where his shirt had rucked up, and he moaned. His fingers raked through Starscream’s feathers, and if they’d had more time, he’d have rolled Starscream over and kissed him until they were both firm again. 

But they didn’t have time. 

The kiss softened until Starscream leaned his forehead against Blurr’s, body still trembling with aftershocks, one hand gently cupping Blurr’s hips. “Why did I have to accept that invitation?” he groaned with obvious reluctance. 

Blurr gently stroked the feathers of his crest, still marveling at how soft they were, even if they covered his skin in a light, oily sheen afterward. “Because politics wait for no bird, not even a horny one.” 

Starscream snorted a laugh and leaned back on his heels, whatever passed for a harpy’s genitalia once again out of sight, though a sheen of fluids glistened on his featherdown. “You are impossible,” he said, with a playful poke to Blurr’s belly. “And I am not a bird.” 

"I know. I'm teasing." Blurr squirmed as the sexiness of the moment started to fade, and he was acutely aware of the damp inside his boxers, and coating the front of his pants. "I need to get cleaned up."

"We both do." Starscream glanced over at Blurr's alarm clock and visibly stiffened. "Immediately." He scrambled up and away from Blurr, only to reach down and haul him to his feet, which made Blurr's head spin. "We're going to be late."

"We?"

"Yes, we. I'm taking you with me." Starscream spun him toward the bathroom and gave him a little pat on the ass. "Go. Change."

Blurr was already wiggling out of his sweatpants and kicking them in the general direction of his laundry basket. "You're so bossy," he grumbled.

Starscream snorted as he swept past Blurr for the small window and sink, dampening a rag to tend to his own feathers. "You have no idea."

Blurr couldn't decide if that was ominous or a promise. Either way, it sent a tickle of delight down his spine, and a twitch to his dick. Which he couldn't abide right now. So he grabbed clean clothes and hopped into the bathroom for one of the quickest showers he'd ever taken. He didn't even get his hair wet.

He stepped out in a cloud of steam, and Starscream grabbed him, shoving his arms into a coat, his feet into socks and shoes, and a granola bar in his hand. Blurr's head spun at the speed of it, but he let himself be manhandled anyway. Or would it be birdhandled?

Either way, a few moments later, he stumbled out the door, Starscream shutting it firmly behind them, and rushing Blurr toward the stairs. No elevator for the harpy today. It evidently wasn't fast enough.

Blurr muffled a laugh in his granola bar and followed Starscream out of the door and into a brisk, sunny late morning, winter's air smacking him in the face to chase away the last of the heat from the shower. Starscream's gait was determined and focused, the look on his face one Blurr had come to recognize as intent.

It was adorable.

Blurr didn't meander, though he was sorely tempted to, and finished the granola bar in a couple of big bites. His stomach growled angrily at him -- it wasn't at all enough. But they didn't have time to stop for more. His boots crunched across the cold ground, and signs of life sprung around the campus like spring daises. 

The science administration building loomed into view. It stretched above Blurr’s head for three stories, and was formed of solid stone. It was one of the oldest buildings on campus, and that showed. Dead vines of ivy crawled up the sides and weeds sprung from cracks in the foundation. 

“Are you sure she wants me to be here?” Blurr asked as they stepped into the large administration building, which was a hustle-bustle of activity so early in the semester. 

Starscream rolled his shoulders. “She didn’t say I could or couldn’t, but you know, it’s not an official meeting or anything. Just sort of a meet and greet.” 

“Uh huh.” Blurr looked down at his choice of clothing and instantly felt underdressed. But he didn’t have anything in his closet more appropriate. He survived on jeans and athletic shorts. “Maybe I should wait outside.” 

“Don’t be ridiculous. You’re coming with me.” Starscream grabbed his hand as if he thought Blurr was going to escape, and tugged him up a spiraling staircase toward a second floor. 

Blurr spluttered, but Starscream’s grip was like iron. Thankfully, there weren’t too many people around, and no one gave them more than a passing glance. It wasn’t like they could read the truth of their relationship in the casual touch, but still! 

Starscream seemed to know exactly where he was going. He led Blurr down the hallway, to the last door on the left. He pushed it open and tugged Blurr inside, leaving Blurr to close it quietly behind him. 

A young woman sat behind a desk, her fingers clicking rapidly over the keyboard as she peered at the screen through coke-bottle glasses. She looked up at them with a big grin, and swept a hand over her frizzy hair. 

“Starscream, right?” she said and gestured over her shoulder with a thumb. “Dr. Morgan’s waiting for you so you can go right on in.” 

“Thanks,” Starscream chirped, and held up Blurr’s hand, still clutched in his. “I can have a guest, right?” 

The young woman grinned, but her eyes went back to the computer, and her fingers back to the keys. “You can bring whoever and whatever you want. Jessica’s crazy excited to see what new things she can learn.” 

Starscream chuckled. “Yeah, Perceptor told me of her zeal. Thanks.” He looked over his shoulder at Blurr and winked. “Let’s go.” 

“Whatever you say,” Blurr said, a little off balance from the situation. For once, he was the one uncomfortable and wrong-footed, while Starscream seemed to move forward with ease and comfort. 

Starscream headed for the door just behind the young woman, translucent glass with the owner’s name printed in large, blocked letters across the front. Starscream rapped his knuckles over the glass in half-hearted announcement, and immediately pushed the door open, pulling Blurr along with him. 

“Welcome!” Dr. Jessica Morgan rose from behind her desk, arms spread wide and a cheerful smile on her face. She was dressed business-casual, with a lavender button-up and a pair of dark slacks. “It’s nice to finally see you again, Starscream. Thank you for re-discovering my office.” 

She came around the desk, her thick heels clomping noisily on the floor, one hand extended. Only then did Starscream let Blurr go so as to shake her hand, head dipping in a genteel bow. 

“I should have come sooner,” he said, tone apologetic. “But there’s so much to see and do around here, I kept getting distracted.” 

Dr. Morgan patted his hand with her other, giving him an indulgent look. “It’s quite all right. Drift was much the same when he first arrived, though I also think Perceptor had something to do with that.” Her eyes slid past Starscream and landed on Blurr. “Oh. Hello. I don’t believe we’ve met…?”

“Dae-Hyeun Song,” Blurr said as he fumbled forward, offering her a hand. “I’m sort of Starscream’s...” He glanced at the harpy, looking for a bit of guidance. 

“Best friend,” Starscream supplied with a bright smile. “Blurr’s the first human friend I met, and he’s still my favorite.” 

Heat colored Blurr’s cheeks. 

Dr. Morgan chuckled and squeezed Blurr’s hand warmly. “That’s wonderful. Blurr…?” 

“It’s a nickname.” Starscream patted Blurr’s shoulders, feathers poofing with pride. “He’s on the Track and Field team and one of the fastest members.” 

Brown eyes lit up with recognition. “Oh! Yes! Now I know where I’ve seen your face.” She leaned back, reaching up to tuck a stray strand of grey-brown hair behind her ear. “Starscream’s right, you are quite quick. I’ve been to a couple of your races.” 

“Thank you,” Blurr said. 

Dr. Morgan clapped her hands together. “Well, it’s lovely to meet you. Why don’t you take a seat?” She circled back around her desk and paused, her hands still pressed together, and pointed the tips of her fingers toward Starscream. “Are you hungry? I can have Jeanine go grab us a fruit basket. I remember Drift was always fond of them.” 

Starscream chuckled as he took the larger chair on the left. “I’m not surprised. He’s a perpetual snacker.” He settled in with a creak, getting comfortable. “No, thank you. We ate before we came.” He looked up at Blurr and winked, just out of Dr. Morgan’s view. 

The blush strengthened. Blurr was going to strangle Starscream later. Instead, he bit his tongue and claimed the other chair, taking the opportunity to examine the office. 

It was small, as most professors’ offices were, and the walls were nothing but bookshelves cluttered with papers and books and figurines. Dr. Morgan’s office was an organized sort of messy, where it was obvious the occupant knew where everything could be found and had a sense of organization, but one specific to them only. The blinds were drawn on the window, blocking out the bright winter sun, and what few walls were visible, were covered in frames. 

“So how have you been finding our town and university?” Dr. Morgan asked as she settled into her own chair, leaning forward with elbows braced on the desk. 

Starscream chuckled. “Fascinating. There’s not a moment that goes by when I’m bored. There’s too much to see and learn.” 

Blurr peered at the nearest frame on the wall. It was a picture, and he recognized Dr. Morgan in the center, a younger one as she had no gray hair and a few less laugh lines. She stood between two harpies, one of whom was probably a bit smaller than Starscream, and the other who was much larger, though equally lean. Perhaps the aforementioned Perceptor and Drift? Blurr remembered Starscream mentioning they were the first to contact humans. 

“You’ve access to everything you need?” 

“Yes. They gave me an ID card and when I need money, I borrow Perceptor’s.” 

“Well, we can certainly grant you access to the general flock funds as well. The university maintains an account for the use of your entire aerie, supported by many generous donors.” 

“I’d appreciate it.” 

Another framed item was much larger and better resembled a legal document. It had been notarized and there were several signatures on it, but as was the case with most cursive writing, Blurr couldn’t read them. The document itself said National Park Certification and beneath it, in smaller script, ‘Official Deed of Ownership’. 

The largest item on one of the walls was a massive display case, like the kind butterfly collectors use, but instead it was an array of feathers in a rainbow of colors. Reds and blues and oranges and browns and greys and whites. They were all different sizes and shapes, and each one had a name beneath. Blurr only recognized a few of them. 

“I’ve never faulted Perceptor for his decision to relocate to the aerie, but I admit, we’ve missed his presence on campus. We’ve missed that direct contact. Liege Megatron is very kind and willing to work with us, but it’s… err, haphazard I suppose would be the best term.” 

“You’re looking for someone to be a bit more scheduled?” 

“Something like that. At the very least, we’d like someone comfortable with visiting on at least a weekly basis to help discuss terms, answer questions, help with research, that sort of thing.” 

“Like an Ambassador?” 

“That would be the term we’d apply, yes.” 

Blurr shifted his attention back to the two discussing business. Starscream looked thoughtful while Dr. Morgan looked hopeful. Starscream rubbed his jaw, humming in his throat. 

“I can think of a few harpies who might be suitable for such a duty,” he said, head tilted, eyes a bit narrowed in thought. “Though whether they’d be comfortable with leaving Kaon so often, that I do not know. I’d have to ask.” 

Dr. Morgan tilted her head, a soft smile on her face. “What about you?” 

Starscream blinked and his crest feathers rose up like he’d been startled. “Me?” He straightened. “I admit, I’m not really the diplomatic sort. I’m a researcher.” 

“We’re not negotiating for war. What we need is a scientist, someone who’s willing to talk to other scientists.” She threaded her fingers together, elbows still braced on the desk. “If you ask me, you’re perfect for the job.” 

“Perceptor is a scientist also,” Starscream said, and the small thread of doubt in his voice made Blurr’s chest ache. “There’s Brainstorm as well.” 

He wanted to reach over, squeeze Starscream’s hand, reassure him. Let him know that Starscream was just as capable as both of them, and certainly capable of this. 

“I haven’t met Brainstorm. But I’m familiar with Perceptor, and while he’s a great friend in smaller settings, he isn’t as social as you are.” Dr. Morgan lowered her hands and leaned back, her smile growing. One hand tapped a stack of papers on her desk. “I have pictures, e-mails, notes, comments… and all of them are observations and feedback from various members of university staff and attendees who’ve interacted with you since your arrival.” 

Starscream’s face colored. His feathers twitched before sleeking down to his frame. “I apologize if I’ve done anything--”

“No, no, no.” Dr. Morgan shook her head. “Quite the opposite actually. Everyone loves you. They are impressed with you. I keep getting requests for interviews and photoshoots, and no matter how many times I tell them I don’t have the authority to arrange that, the requests keep coming.” 

Starscream blinked. 

Blurr blinked, too. 

“Really?” Starscream asked. 

"Most assuredly." Dr. Morgan's smile turned soft and fond. "You've made quite an impression, Starscream. People are delighted by your interest, and I have to admit, you do cut a stunning figure. I've always been partial to red."

If it were possible for a harpy to blush, Starscream was certainly doing so now. His crest feathers flared and fluttered. His face took on a warmer sheen. He settled back into the chair looking as stunned as Blurr had ever seen him.

"That's very kind of you to say," Starscream said after a long moment of trying to visibly gather his composure. "I would have to confer with my liege, of course, make certain this arrangement is in the flock's best interest. I can't imagine he'll protest, given Kaon's friendly relationship with our aerie."

Dr. Morgan nodded and leaned back, one hand moving to pull out a drawer and dig through it. "We've been wanting to fill this position for quite a while. No one interested or suitable has become a candidate, until you that is."

Blurr blossomed with pride for his lover. Of course Starscream was suited! He was charming when he wanted to be, gorgeous, and brilliant.

Starscream coughed over a little chirping sound in his throat. "Thank you for the offer, Dr. Morgan. If I'm allowed to, then yes, I would like to accept."

"Excellent." She whipped a folded stack of papers out of the drawer and handed them over, on a thicker paper Blurr noticed, sure to withstand sharp harpy talons. "Here are the particulars. Responsibilities. Obligations. Term limits. Pay. Everything you and your liege need to know before making a final decision."

Starscream startled. "Pay?" He took the papers, still looking a bit shell-shocked, and Blurr honestly couldn't blame him. They'd had no expectations for this meeting, and already, what little they'd guessed had been exceeded.

"Proper compensation is a matter of course." Dr. Morgan's gaze darted between Starscream and Blurr. "You'll also have a room on campus if you don't want to fly back to the aerie to sleep, or if you want to keep things here."

"I stay with Blurr," Starscream murmured, more focused on the papers in front of him, eyes devouring each word, his feathers twitching more and more with excitement.

"The dorm is not a permanent accommodation. This particular room will be." Dr. Morgan's gaze shifted to Blurr again, only this time it lingered, and Blurr tried not to squirm under the weight of it. "You are a senior, are you not, Mr. Song?"

"You can just call me Blurr. And yeah."

"What are your plans post-graduation?"

Blurr squirmed. He couldn't help it. He looked down at his hands, fingers tangled together, one thumb rubbing over the other. "I don't have any plans per se. I'm still weighing options."

Dr. Morgan folded her hands on top of the desk. "Well, if that's the case, there's a good chance we could have a place for you here. I am always looking for bright minds to build the Avian Studies program, particularly those who already have a good rapport with them."

"I'm a business major, not any of the sciences." And he's pretty dumb when it comes to science, to be honest. Pretty much the only thing Blurr is good at is running, and he's sure they didn't have any use for that.

"It's a versatile degree. I can think of more than a few ways for it to work to our advantage." Dr. Morgan loosed a happy hum, one finger rubbing against the curve of her jaw as if she was already gnawing on possibilities. "Think about it at the very least. It gives you another option."

"Options are always welcome," Blurr said, his mind spinning with the offer. He felt that it was a little contrived as though they were attempting to make him seem useful. He supposed it couldn't be helped.

He was more than a little aware of how nebulous his future remained. At some point, he would need to sit down and have a conversation with Starscream about what their future meant. Or what they could do about it. But the longer he could put it off, the better. He didn't want to face the realities of their situation. He just wanted to be happy with Starscream for a little while longer.

“You’ve considered merchandise opportunities, haven’t you?” Starscream asked, his voice thoughtful as he skimmed through the papers Dr. Morgan had given him. “I’m sure there are plenty of markets to be found.” 

“For harpycraft and information? Oh, yes.” Dr. Morgan’s smile had brightened again, and she tangled her fingers together once more, resting her hands on the table. “It would be a source of income and notoriety for your flock, and for harpykind in general.” 

Starscream nodded slowly, still somewhat distant. “And even more steps toward obtaining protection, personhood, and possibly even citizenship in the eyes of humans.” He looked up, lips curved in a half-smile. “You are a very, very clever person.” 

“Well, I’m in clever company.” Dr. Morgan spread her hands briefly before bringing them together again. “Now, I know I’ve given you a lot to think about, so I won’t take up too much of your time. Do you have any questions for me?”

“Not at the moment. I suspect a lot of my basic questions will be answered in these.” Starscream held up the papers to demonstrate. “We should meet again in a… week? Or after the new semester begins would be better. I should have an opportunity to discuss this proposition with my liege by then.” 

Dr. Morgan nodded and rose to her feet, bobbing on her heels a little as if she could barely restrain her excitement. “Yes, that would be perfect.” She tucked a stray, gray-streaked curl behind her ear. “Perhaps we can have dinner? My husband and I, you and your Blurr?” 

Starscream chuckled and stood as well. 

Blurr turned a very beet red. 

“He’s hardly mine,” Starscream said. 

“There are different kinds of ownership,” Dr. Morgan said with a wink, and some nameless conversation passed between them. 

Blurr wondered if anyone would notice if he seeped right into the ugly fabric of the chair and vanished. That sensation of being out of his element persisted. He didn’t belong here, in this academic leader’s office. He didn’t deserve the offer of a position he wasn’t qualified to perform. 

Starscream laughed this time, his unguarded, comfortable laugh he showed so few people. It was a laugh he reserved for friends, rather than the quiet, raspy chuckle he offered the admirers and the curious. 

“This is very true indeed.” He folded up the papers and tucked them under one wing while offering a hand to Dr. Morgan. 

Blurr inched out of the chair and sank back toward the door, his palms sweaty and his face steaming hot. There was a curl of unease in his belly, and the granola bar he’d gobbled hastily earlier, now sat like a heavy mass. 

“I’ll take your offer, and your invitation, into consideration,” Starscream said as Dr. Morgan clasped his hand briefly, mindful of the talons. 

“And I hope to hear back from you positively on both accounts.” Dr. Morgan’s gaze slid to Blurr and she dipped her head in acknowledgment. “And please, Mr. Song, consider what I’ve said as well. My department could use all the brilliant, understanding minds it can find.” 

“I will,” Blurr said, somehow managing not to stutter. “Thank you for the offer.” 

“My pleasure.” 

They made their goodbyes and left, but Blurr didn’t feel like he could draw an unencumbered breath until they were out of the main building, and back in the crisp winter air. It smacked him in the face, helping to chase away the blush growing bright and humiliating across his cheeks. 

“That woman is eerily perceptive,” Starscream said as he craned his neck to look behind them, vaguely in the direction of where Dr. Morgan’s office would be. “Do you think she suspects…?”

Blurr shoved his hands into his pockets and hunched his shoulders. “She’s spent her life studying harpies and harpy culture and forming connections with harpies. She probably suspected before we even showed up in her office.” 

“You sound angry.” Starscream moved in front of him, eyebrows furrowed, concern narrowing his eyes. “Are you all right?” 

Blurr sighed and stared down at the grass – soggy from repeated snow and ice melts, not even an increasingly warm sun could dry out just yet. “I’m not angry,” he said. 

Careful harpy fingers appeared in his field of vision, adjusting the scarf around his neck with delicate motions. “Is this about what you’re going to do after graduation?” 

And what we’re going to do, Blurr thought, but he couldn’t bring himself to say it aloud. Not yet. 

“Mostly.” Blurr sighed and scrubbed at his face with a gloved hand. “Never mind. It’s not important. I’m too busy being happy for you.” He managed a smile. “What about this, yeah? Isn’t it what you wanted?” 

Starscream gave him a long look. “It is, in part, but--”

“No buts.” Blurr glanced around them and slipped close enough to squeeze Starscream’s hand. “If this is what you want, you should totally go for it.” 

“That remains to be seen if Liege will approve it,” Starscream said. 

“He will. You can be convincing when you want to be.” Blurr grinned, and it held echoes of more certainty in it. “Trust me, I know.” 

Starscream rested a hand on his shoulder, giving him a squeeze he barely felt through the layers of his winter’s jacket. “Just like I know you’re going to figure out what you want eventually. It’s going to be fine, Blurr. It’s all going to work out.” 

Blurr wished he had Starscream’s faith. 

“I’m sure it will,” Blurr said, and he almost believed it. 

He stomped his feet and shivered theatrically. “Come on. Let’s get back to my dorm. It’s fucking freezing out here.” 

Starscream chuckled and slung an arm over his shoulder. “I’ll help keep you warm.” 

For a few more months at least, Blurr knew. 

He’d have to hold on to that. 

***

 


	13. Chapter 13

Winter started to melt toward spring. Blurr traded in his heavy peacoat for a lighter jacket, and then, just a hoodie as snow became a distant memory.

And that was when Starscream started to shed.

“I’m molting,” he’d explained when Blurr grabbed him for a kiss and came away, horrified, with a handful of feathers.

“It’s awful,” Starscream added with a pout of distaste. “I’ll get all ugly. My beautiful feathers will fall out, and it itches, and I hate it. But at least I won’t be fat anymore.” He grinned.

The great cinnamon roll incident had become something of a running joke.

Blurr thought it couldn’t be as bad as Starscream claimed. The harpy could be a bit of a drama queen at times, so no doubt he was exaggerating.

Blurr soon learned he was wrong.

Very, very wrong.

When the molt began in earnest, Starscream showed up at Blurr’s dorm and refused to leave, citing that he couldn’t go back to the aerie while he was so ugly. As the days wore on, he was an odd mismatch of short, bright feathers, and long, dull ones, along with all of these small, fluffy ones.

“I itch,” he’d whine as he rolled about on the floor, leaving bits of fluff and feather all over the place.

Blurr spent a lot of time vacuuming and dusting for those two weeks. At least, the time he didn’t spend being turned into a pair of useful, nimble fingers. Starscream couldn’t reach his back and refused to leave to find a nice tree with some rough bark. Blurr would later learn to regret offering to help.

Though he did appreciate how Starscream squirmed and moaned with happiness when Blurr dug his fingers in, working free the loose feathers and gathering them into a trash bin.

Worse than the whining about the itching, was that Starscream turned into a bottomless pit of hunger. Not just for treats, but for real food as well. He consumed fruit by the basketful, whatever was in season and cheap, he wasn’t picky about it. Apparently molting consumed a lot of energy, for all that he did was lie around and pick at himself.

Blurr would have been annoyed if he didn’t find it so adorable. A whiny Starscream was a very cuddly one, and the quickest way to shut him up was to kiss him and run his hands over Starscream’s body, plucking away dead or ruined feathers at their roots. He learned how to tell them apart, and soon found himself at the mercy of a miserable lover.

One who even woke up him up in the middle of the night, whining about how his back itched and he couldn’t reach it and couldn’t Blurr  _please_  help him? The only way Blurr was certain to get any sleep was if he grumbled, rolled over, and dug his fingers into Starscream’s back, pulling out more feather leavings while Starscream purred.

They didn’t snuggle much during the molt. Or kiss and grind and fondle either. Frankly, Blurr was surprised he survived it. Starscream, too, because there were times Blurr wanted to strangle him.

“I can’t wait for this to be over,” Starscream grumbled, or whined rather. He was getting to be pretty good at that.

Me too, Blurr thought privately. Agitation made his shoulders hunch, and exasperation rolled through his body.

There Starscream was again, rolling about on the floor, mucking up the sheet Blurr had put down in a hopeless effort to corral the bits of dead feather and fluff Starscream shed on an hourly basis.

“Humans are so lucky they don’t have to go through this,” Starscream bemoaned as he shamelessly scratched at his belly, a talon worrying at a clump of tacky feathers.

Blurr whirled around in his desk chair and leaned his elbows back against the edge of the desk. Homework was a no-go. “Technically, we shed daily.”

Starscream’s eyes narrowed. “No, you don’t.”

“Yes, we do. You just can’t see it.” Blurr looked down at his lover, limbs asprawl, feathers mismatched in length and color, but still beautiful regardless. Right now, he was the patchiest he’d been since the molt started. In some places, Blurr could see bits of somewhat bare flesh, like a plucked chicken.

Blurr snorted a laugh. Starscream was very, very touchy about his appearance right now. Best not to make that comparison aloud.

“Technically,” Blurr continued because Starscream’s fascination with humans was hilarious, “Everything in here is probably covered in dead skin cells.”

Starscream made a face. “That’s disgusting.”

Blurr shrugged. “Says the bird leaving bits of himself everywhere he goes.”

“I’m not a bird!” Starscream all but squawked as he flopped back, the corner of the sheet tangling around one leg, the feathers around his crown flaring. Well, the half of them that remained at any rate. “Can I get a little sympathy here? You’re so mean.”

Blurr chuckled and slipped down from the chair, dropping to his hands and knees to crawl toward his lover. “I’ve spent the last week giving you sympathy,” he said as he carefully moved to straddle Starscream, without putting undue pressure on the longer feathers of his arms. He leaned down, face inches from Starscream. “You’re cute when you pout, you know.”

“Not right now, I’m not,” Starscream grumbled, one talon digging into a feather clump at the join of his neck and shoulder. “I’m shedding, and I’m patchy, and I don’t match, and I’m ugly.”

Blurr swallowed down a laugh at Starscream’s petulant tone. “You are not and won’t ever be ugly,” he said as he rubbed his nose over Starscream’s. Carefully, however, as Starscream’s nose was more beak than nose, and could be dangerous.

“I’m patchy,” Starscream retorted, but it lacked strength and heat, especially as his gaze slid to the side and his lips formed a pout.

Adorable.

“Beautiful,” Blurr corrected and brushed his lips over Starscream’s, hoping to coax a kiss out of his lover, and distract him from the “itchies” as Starscream cutely called it.

Starscream made a muffled sound and wrapped his arms around Blurr, tugging him down and deepening the kiss all at once. His tongue slid into Blurr’s mouth, and his teeth left little nips over Blurr’s lips.

Distraction achieved, Blurr thought with a little burble of amusement, one that turned to surprise as Starscream abruptly rolled them over and Blurr found himself beneath the fluffy heat of his harpy lover. Lips and teeth trailed over the curve of his jaw, hot exhalations tickling his ear. Blurr squirmed.

“No fair.” Blurr dragged his hands up Starscream’s sides and down again, to the narrow inset of his hips before sliding down to the smoother – if not patchy – feathers of his thighs.

Starscream chuckled. “Don’t think I don’t know you’re trying to distract me.” He mouthed his way to Blurr’s throat and gave it a nip.

“Oh, no. I’ve been found out,” Blurr drawled, dead pan. He dug his fingernails in, scratching at the base of the feathers, and Starscream purred, arching his back.

“Mmm, keep doing that.” Starscream hummed as he mouthed Blurr’s collarbone, where the wide collar of his t-shirt exposed his bare skin.

Blurr chuckled. “I’m just your personal scratching post, is that it?”

“Among other things.” Starscream puffed a laugh against his throat before he shifted his weight, bracing himself on one hand. He lifted the other, sliding a talon under the hem of Blurr’s shirt and tugging it upward, baring his belly.

Blurr swallowed thickly, his stomach jumping, even more so when Starscream twisted down like the limber creature he was and rubbed his cheek over Blurr’s abdomen, like a cat seeking affection.

“I like this distraction,” Starscream added, rolling his head up to look at Blurr with mischief in his eyes.

Heat stole into Blurr’s cheeks. He was caught, for a moment, between the urge to yank his shirt down like he had an ounce of modesty, and tearing it over his head so Starscream could devour him. His dick certainly preferred the latter.

“That’s because you’re greedy,” Blurr said with a little shiver. The tickle of Starscream’s feathers against his skin was quickly becoming one of the most erotic sensations he’d ever experienced.

“Probably so.” Starscream turned his head, lips skimming over Blurr’s abdomen, toward his belly button. “This still fascinates me. What is the purpose of it?”

Blurr groaned and tipped his head back. “I’m not a biology major, Star. I have no idea. It’s just leftover from before I was born.”

“It’s cute.” Starscream pressed a kiss to his belly button, and then of all things, stuck his tongue into it.

“Augh, that’s gross!” Blurr pushed at Starscream’s head.

Starscream chuckled and dragged his lips away. “Then it doesn’t feel good?”

“Why would it?”

Starscream shrugged and tugged again on Blurr’s shirt with a talon, as if in silent request for Blurr to remove it. “Because the nipples do?”

Blurr laughed. He supposed in some distant way that made sense. “Okay, you’ve got me there,” he said. “But for the record, no, my belly button is not sensitive. Like that.”

“Ahhh. Good to know.” Starscream scrubbed his cheek over Blurr’s belly again. “I suppose I’ll have to keep looking then.”

“Looking?”

Starscream mouthed the flat of Blurr’s abdomen, below his belly button, his hot exhalations making Blurr shiver. “For more sensitive spots,” he said before he nipped at the band of Blurr’s boxer-briefs, where it peeked above the waist of his jeans. “Like the one under here for example.”

Heat shot up Blurr’s spine in a wave. “T-That’s...” He swallowed over a sudden lump in his throat, his heart pounding so hard he felt it all throughout his body.

Inevitable progression, his brain whispered.

“No good?” Starscream purred as he rubbed his cheek over Blurr’s groin, with only the layers of denim and cotton to save him from getting poked in the eye by Blurr’s dick, which had gone from soft to hard in the blink of an eye.

Blurr clutched at Starscream’s sides and drew on every ounce of self-control he had not to buck up against Starscream. “I don’t… um… It’s just...” He didn’t have an answer. He didn’t know.

What if Starscream pulled off his pants and ran away in horror from what he found? What if Blurr saw whatever it was harpy’s had and it terrified him? It was like the final step, wasn’t it. The inevitable progression.

Starscream mouthed over Blurr’s groin, the pressure of his teeth enough to make Blurr moan, make his dick throb, heedless to the indecision of his brain.

“No good,” Starscream murmured thoughtfully and mercifully dragged his mouth up and away, lips laving a hot pleasure over Blurr’s belly and further still, until he was facing Blurr again. “Scared?”

Blurr dragged his hands up, until he cupped the back of Starscream’s head, and pulled him down for a kiss that brushed their lips together. “No,” he said. “And yes.”

“Conflicted,” Starscream said against his lips.

“Mm.” Blurr pressed his forehead to Starscream’s and shifted, tucking his legs over Starscream’s thighs and pulling Starscream’s body against his. “It’s not that I don’t want to, and it doesn’t have anything to do with your molt, I swear.”

Starscream chuckled and slid one of his hands down Blurr’s body, until he cupped his hip. “I believe you.” He pressed a kiss to the corner of Blurr’s mouth. “It’s fine. I’m sorry for being pushy.”

“You weren’t.” Blurr shivered and squirmed, his dick throbbing in his jeans and yelling at him for being such a prude.

“Even so.” Starscream nuzzled him and inhaled deeply. “Adaptus save me, but you smell so good.”

Blurr chuckled. “Well, I did shower today.”

“I can tell.” Starscream inhaled again, nibbling down and licking into the hollow of Blurr’s throat. Teeth scraped over his skin, sending a lurch of need throughout Blurr.

Temptation thy name was Starscream.

A small moan escaped Blurr’s throat, his hands scraping up and down Starscream’s side, while bits of feathers fluffed free. Lips and tongue were hot on his skin, and Starscream made a low, hungry sound. One that sent shocks of need up and down Blurr’s spine, his hips rolling up toward the warmth of Starscream above him.

Starscream’s hand tightened on Blurr’s hip, and he felt the briefest prick of talons before Starscream abruptly sighed and pulled back, putting a noticeable distance between them. Cold swept in where heat had been, and Blurr blinked.

“Starscream?”

Red eyes had darkened, and Starscream sat back on his heels, his free hand half-covering his face. His other hand abandoned Blurr’s hip and hung in the air. No, not just in the air. It hovered over his own body, as though concealing something.

“Sorry,” Starscream said, and he had a weird note to his voice. “You really smell good.”

Blurr arched a brow and propped himself up on his elbows. “Is that more than a compliment?”

Starscream eased further back, one arm still swept in front of his body as if hiding.

Hiding.

Blurr’s face blazed.

_Oh._

He had clothes so Starscream couldn’t see how aroused he was. But the harpy didn’t. Was he aroused or something and he didn’t want Blurr to see? Come to think of it, the few times they’d, err, dry humped, he’d assumed Starscream had found some kind of release, but he’d never seen the how of it.

“Well, it’s not a complaint,” Starscream said with a huff, and waved the hand away from his face. He scuttled back and to his feet, mismatched feathers a mottled curtain in front of him. “But I do need to excuse myself so...”

Blurr surged to his knees and snagged Starscream’s wrist before the harpy could get too far. “Wait,” he said, and hoped that the blush on his face wasn’t making him as red as a tomato. “You don’t have to leave or go into the bathroom or go wherever it was you were planning on going to, uh, take care of that.”

Starscream turned back toward him, though he still shielded himself. “Sitting here next to you isn’t going to make it go away.”

Heat flooded Blurr’s cheeks. “I know that,” he hissed and forced himself to sigh. “I just meant, you could stay here if you wanted.” He should stop being a coward, he thought. The least he could do was  _look_.

Starscream blinked. “To what end?”

Blurr’s grip tightened around Starscream’s wrist and he ducked his head, coughing into his free hand. “I dunno. You could at least let me see what I’ve got in store for me. And maybe I can do something about it.” His heart thumped harder, and a morbid sort of curiosity built anticipation in his belly.

Starscream stared at him for longer than a glance. “You’re sure?” he asked, and his voice had turned low and husky. Needy. His hand shook where Blurr held him.

Blurr curled his lips into a soft smile. “I’m sure,” he said as he gave a light tug to Starscream’s wrist. “Come on. Sit down.” He patted the empty nest of sheets, disturbing a few shed feather bits in the process.

Starscream sighed, but he obeyed, carefully lowering himself to the ground with visibly awkward movements. His face had gotten darker red in hue, as if he were blushing, and he still held an arm over his groin.

He was actually pretty cute like this.

Blurr licked his lips and let go of Starscream’s wrist, moving to hands and knees as he crawled forward, straddling the nearest leg.

“Show me,” he murmured as he held Starscream’s gaze. “I can kiss you. Touch you. Hold you. This is just the next step, right?”

Starscream’s gaze shifted away. “And if you’re disgusted?”

“I won’t be.” This much Blurr knew for sure. It might take some getting used to, but he was sure he wouldn’t be disgusted.

Blurr leaned closer, rubbed his cheek over Starscream’s, which blazed with heat against his skin. “Promise,” he murmured.

Starscream turned his head and brushed his lips over Blurr’s, though it barely counted as a kiss. “I’m going to hold you to that promise.”

Blurr grinned and leaned back, sliding his hand from Starscream’s shoulder, over the molting fluff of his arm, and down to his wrist. He curled his fingers around it and lightly tugged, pulling Starscream’s arm away from his body, and Starscream let him.

Slowly, Starscream’s chest and belly came into view, both things Blurr had seen before. He was insanely curious what a harpy had, because without clothes, how could anything be concealed?

Starscream trembled a little beneath him, the sound of his breathing increasing, and Blurr made it a point to school his own expression. He didn’t want Starscream to think, even for a moment, he was disgusted. Not even when Starscream’s… whatever it was, came into view.

Well, it was a dick of some kind, that was for sure. It was dick-shaped, much longer than Blurr’s own, and slightly thicker in circumference. It was shaded much the same as Starscream’s feathers, dark blue at the root and crimson at the tip, with a blend of color in between. It had little ridges and knobs in it, like the most natural-looking sex toy ever. But for all that it looked mostly human.

Mostly.

There at the base, Starscream’s feathers looked darker, as if they were wet, and he didn’t seem to have a scrotum of any kind. No balls. Which, in Blurr’s opinion, was not fair. Starscream didn’t have to deal with tucking them away at all.

At least he didn’t have to pretend he wasn’t disgusted. It’s not like Starscream had a mess of slimy, suckery tentacles or anything down there. Just an elaborate, and actually rather pretty, dick. That looked like a dildo.

Blurr had seen scarier in online sex toy shops.

“Well?” Starscream prompted, and there was an edge of anxiety to his voice.

Blurr worked his throat and squeezed Starscream’s wrist. “Can I touch it?” he asked as he lifted his gaze back to his lover. Now that Starscream’s dick was in front of him, he wondered why he’d been so anxious in the first place.

Starscream stared at him. “What?”

Blurr leaned close, resting his other hand on Starscream’s chest, sliding his palm down until it was inches above Starscream’s dick. “Can I look with my eyes  _and_  my hand?”

Starscream groaned and leaned back against the bed, his free hand resting on Blurr’s nearest thigh. “If you don’t, I really will get up and find some privacy.”

“You’re cute like this.” Blurr nuzzled Starscream’s cheek and slid his hand down, his palm cupping the rigid heat of Starscream’s dick.

It felt like a human dick in his hand, he realized. A little more rigid, perhaps, with slightly less give. The tip wasn’t as rounded, but it seeped a clear fluid like precome. And when Blurr pumped his hand in a loose fist down Starscream’s dick, a sound not unlike a whimper clawed out of Starscream’s throat. His hips bucked. His fingers dug into Blurr’s thigh, nearly pricking his skin through the denim.

“See?” Blurr’s lips followed the curve of Starscream’s jaw. “Not disgusted at all.” He thumbed the tip of Starscream’s dick, smearing the slick around. “Kinda jealous actually. Your dick is much prettier than mine.”

Starscream made a soft sound, one hand clawing empty air where Blurr still held his wrist. “Clava,” he said.

Blurr blinked. “What?”

Starscream groaned and rolled his hips toward Blurr’s hold, his head tilting back as though offering his throat as well. “It’s called a clava.”

Well, okay. He would probably forget that pretty quickly, but whatever Starscream wanted.

“Fine,” Blurr said as he found Starscream’s throat with his lips. “Your clava is prettier than my dick. Hot, too.” He gave Starscream’s clava a little squeeze and swore that Starscream squeaked, arching toward him. “Feel good?”

Starscream visibly shivered, his feathers ruffling. “Obviously,” he panted, the words vibrating against Blurr’s lips. He rolled his hips faster, shifting restlessly beneath Blurr, his clava pumping into the tunnel of Blurr’s fist. “Don’t stop.”

“Wouldn’t dream of it,” Blurr murmured, leaving little nips on Starscream’s throat, surprised by how smooth it was, with not so much feather as it was fuzz, like a peach. He smelled good, too. So sweet and warm.

Blurr tightened his grip on Starscream’s di-- clava. It was hard in his fingers, and it throbbed, too. Just like a human dick.

Starscream squirmed and made a whimpering noise, his hand clamping hard on Blurr’s thigh. Primus, he was sexy like this. Blurr groaned against Starscream’s throat, his own dick starting to throb, pushing at the confines of his jeans. More slick coated his fingers, and Starscream’s clava, more slippery and copious than pre-come, and a sweet scent floated up to Blurr’s nose. His mouth watered.

Blurr groaned a soft sound against Starscream’s throat, and gripped the harpy’s dick in a long, squeezing pull. Starscream cried out and arched his back, hips stuttering, his talons suddenly pricking at Blurr’s thigh even through his jeans.

A low sound, somewhere between a whimper and a moan, poured out of Starscream’s mouth, and then he was coming, hot splashes dripping on Blurr’s hand as Starscream went still beneath him. His clava throbbed with each pulse, and it seemed to last longer than a human’s orgasm, before Starscream suddenly sagged back against the bed, audibly panting.

Blurr gentled his hold, lightly stroking Starscream’s softening clava. He dragged his mouth back toward Starscream’s and squeaked when Starscream abruptly kissed him, hot and hungry, his tongue plunging into Blurr’s mouth. He unhooked his claws from Blurr’s thigh and gently cupped his face with lightly trembling fingers, ever mindful of his talons.

Heat swamped Blurr’s body. His dick throbbed so hard, he had to resist the urge the grab himself and start jerking furiously.

Starscream’s mouth abandoned his as he pressed his forehead to Blurr’s. “Thank you,” he murmured. “Though I’m afraid I’ve gotten your hand dirty.”

“Small price to pay.” Blurr licked his lips, still tasting Starscream on them. “Told you I wouldn’t be disgusted.”

“Indeed you’re not.” Starscream’s hand slid from Blurr’s face, the back of his knuckles dragging down Blurr’s chest and descending further. “Perhaps I can return the favor?”

Blurr groaned as the back of Starscream’s hand brushed over his groin, and more pre-come soaked Blurr’s boxers. He let go of Starscream’s wrist, only to grab Starscream’s other one gently.

“You’re going to make me come,” he panted.

Starscream chuckled and leaned in, lips making a hot, wet path over the curve of Blurr’s jaw. “That’s the point, sweetcakes.”

Talon-tipped fingers carefully wrapped around Blurr’s other hand, tugging it away from Starscream’s clava. Harpy knuckles applied a kneading pressure to his groin, and Blurr moaned again. His hips bucked, thighs squeezing around Starscream’s leg as he rolled his hips.

“Is food all you think about it?” Blurr gasped as he rocked against the pressure of Starscream’s knuckles, pleasure zinging through his body in wave after wave of heat.

Starscream’s lips curved into a naughty smirk. “Just the yummy meal in front of me,” he purred as he pulled Blurr’s hand toward his mouth.

Blurr’s sticky hand, as a matter of fact. Blurr had a moment to wonder what the frick Starscream thought he was doing before a warm, wet tongue lapped over his fingers, licking away the mess Starscream had made.

Blurr groaned and ground down hard on Starscream’s thigh. “You’re ridiculous,” he said, even as he squeezed Starscream’s wrist, a coil of need tightening and tightening in his groin.

Starscream sucked Blurr’s index finger into his mouth, his teeth leaving light impressions around the base of it. He held Blurr’s gaze as he did so, his eyes so dark and red, heavy with desire.

For Blurr.

Primus, it was too much.

Blurr jerked as he came, spilling in his pants all over again, barely touched, for all that Starscream’s hand rubbed against his groin. How Starscream affected him like this, he didn’t know. He felt like he was discovering sex all over again.

His shoulders hunched as he panted, and he groaned when Starscream licked another finger clean, slurping at it as though he were lapping up something sweet. He was hot all over, and all he wanted to do was push Starscream down and kiss the hell out of him. Sweet and messy kisses that would leave him dazed and dizzy.

“Mmm, you’re right.” Starscream licked up Blurr’s palm before he lowered Blurr’s hand and leaned in, rubbing their cheeks together. “And you’re handsome like this.”

“Even though I have no feathers?” Blurr asked as he let gravity take over and he sagged forward, tucking himself against Starscream’s chest. He wrapped his arms around the harpy’s body, squirming to ignore the discomfort squishing around in his boxers. He’d have to shower and change later, but for now…

For now, he’d rather just sit like this, listening to the beat of Starscream’s core, and snuggling into the heat of his half-feathered harpy lover.

Starscream chuckled and wrapped his arms around Blurr in return, holding him close. “Even though.” He rubbed his cheek over the crown of Blurr’s head, ruffling his hair. “I’m still keeping you.”

Blurr huffed a laugh. “You just want me ‘cause I have access to cinnamon rolls.”

Starscream rumbled with humor. “Well, that too,” he drawled and nuzzled Blurr’s head. “Thank you.”

Blurr blinked and shifted back so he could look up at Starscream. “For what?”

“For being you.” Starscream tipped a knuckle under his chin, gently stroking the hollow of Blurr’s throat, in a motion that should have felt threatening, but didn’t. Instead, it felt more like a claim. “And for not looking at me in disgust.”

“That’s not the kind of thing that needs thanks,” Blurr said as heat stole into his cheeks. “I love you. That’s enough for me.”

Something passed over Starscream’s face, an expression Blurr couldn’t name, before Starscream’s lips pulled in a soft smile. “I love you, too,” he murmured and then he pulled Blurr into a soft kiss.

“Since you love me, you’ll scratch my back, right?” Starscream asked as he pulled back, rubbing his cheek against Blurr’s. “Between my scapula?”

Blurr laughed and pressed his forehead to Starscream’s clavicle, feeling feathers tickling his cheeks. “Whatever you want.”

***

 


	14. Chapter 14

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Bit of an early update today since I'll be out on vacation and won't be able to post tomorrow. Enjoy!

Blurr’s first official race of the season was the first weekend in February, on a sunny, but cool Saturday morning, the ground still wet with dew, and the sky mottled with clouds. He figured Starscream would stay holed up in his dorm the entire room, still convinced he was too ugly to be seen out in public. He’d almost completely shed his winter coat, but the new coat was slower to fill in.

He was still beautiful in Blurr’s opinion, but Starscream was more than a little self-conscious about it. Blurr didn’t push.

Besides, the meet was just an invitational. An introduction to the sort of talent he’d be facing his last season on the team. Not that Blurr was concerned. If there was one thing he was confident about, it was his track skills.

No one could beat him on the field. He was faster than everyone. His legs had earned him this scholarship, had given him a chance when everyone else abandoned him. Running down the track, the wind in his face, was the best feeling in the world. Almost like flying.

Winning was never in question.

“It’s just an invitational,” Coach Sylvester reminded him as Blurr stretched on the sidelines, thinking Starscream would probably be surprised how flexible he was. “Remember that it’s good to have secrets. Win, but let them think they have a chance.”

Blurr laughed and stripped out of his windbreaker, tossing it over the nearest bench. “I’m not that cruel.”

“Cruel would be pretending to lose,” Coach Sylvester said as she clapped him on the shoulder, squeezing with a grip that would make a wrestler blush. “Take it easy. I don’t want you pulling a hamstring or something before Nationals.”

It was, after all, a foregone conclusion Blurr would make it to Nationals. He always did. He always won, too. He always came home with the gold. He had more medals hanging in his wardrobe then he knew what to do with.

He threw her a thumbs-up. “No worries. This is old hat. I know what I’m doing.” They had this same discussion every time, didn’t they?

“You tell me you do, kid. But then you turn around and run helter-skelter over that finish line like I haven’t been trying to teach you something all year,” Coach grumbled as she rubbed at her temples. Her annoyed tone was equally fond, however.

She grumbled for the sake of grumbling these days.

Blurr stretched his arms over his head, working out the last of the tightness. His opponents headed toward the starting line. Time he joined them.

“Good luck out there,” Coach Sylvester said. “Not that you need it. I’m going to check on the others. Just remember what I told you.”

Blurr rolled his neck. “No spoilers. Got it.”

After another pat to the back nearly sent him sprawling, Coach Sylvester jogged away, already hollering at some of Blurr’s juniors who were too busy joking around and not stretching properly. Well, they’d learn when their legs started cramping in the middle of the relay.

Blurr shook his head and loped to the starting line, checking out the competition. Mostly new faces here, he noticed, though a couple he recognized from prior meets. They saw him and frowned, anger darkening their eyes.

Whatever. Jealousy was a powerful thing. They hated him because he was better. Blurr had gotten used to it by now.

He ignored them and took his assigned spot at the innermost lane. His opponents didn’t matter. Just his lane and the finish line 100 meters ahead of him.

Blurr ran them all, the 100, 200 and the 400. He held records in the 100 and the 200, and was just shy of the record for the 400. He was determined however. He’d claim it. Maybe one day, he’d go to the world championship, and beyond that, the International Games. It was a distant dream. The only one he really had, honestly.

Though here lately, that dream started turning red and blue on the edges, filled with the sound of a purring harpy, and his sweet-smelling feathers, and the taste of cinnamon sugared kisses…

Blurr shook his head as the whistle and shouted “on your marks!” urged them into starting positions. He needed to get focused on the task at hand: namely winning, but pretending to put in effort. He crouched against the starting blocks, resting his hands on the synthetic track.

He breathed in and out, centered himself. He closed his eyes, inhaled deeply, felt the track beneath his fingertips.

“Set!”

He bore his feet against the starting blocks, loose and tense all at once.

A whistle shrieked through the air, and Blurr took off, vision tunneling toward the finish line ahead of him, only vaguely aware of the other bodies running beside him. His feet pounded against the track, the wind sluicing over his face, the world a blur of color and sound. He could hear cheering and shouts, but it was secondary to the thud-thud-thud of his runners and the pounding of his heart and the sounds of his breathing.

He remembered only at the last second that he wasn’t supposed to make it look so easy, but then he flew across the finish line, with the second place winner a full half second behind him. Oops.

Blurr slowed to a stop and swept his hands through his hair, unable to stop the grin on his face. Damn, he loved this. Everything about this. Even with sweat slicking his body and the burn in his legs, and the anger slanted his direction. He heard his name over the loudspeakers, announcing his time.

9.72 seconds.

One of his best yet.

“What was that?” Coach Sylvester demanded as she stomped up to him, towel in one hand and waterbottle in the other. “Didn’t I say take it easy?”

Blurr snatched the water and drank from it, wiping the back of his hand over his mouth. “Sorry. I forgot.” He aimed for sheepish, but couldn’t keep a hold of it when pride was bursting over his shoulders. “Guess it’s not in my nature.”

The towel hit him in the face. “If you weren’t such a winner, I’d paddle you.”

Blurr laughed and wiped at the sweat on his face. “I’ll try and be less of a winner on the 200m. Scout’s honor.”

Coach Sylvester rolled her eyes. “You were never a scout.” She folded her arms over her chest. “Besides, I’m quite sure you were showing off for your biggest fan. And I don’t see that changing for the 200m.”

“My biggest fan?”

She tilted her head to the spectators, and Blurr followed her gaze. A huge grin split his lips. There Starscream was, at the front of the pack, a small bubble of space around him as the humans both wanted to keep their distance, but also get close enough to shout their questions at him. Mottled feathers and all, Starscream waved fervently in his direction.

“With a good luck charm like that, no wonder you couldn’t bear to do anything but your best,” Sylvester said with a laugh. She patted him on the shoulder. “Go say hello. The 200m meets aren’t for another ten minutes.”

Blurr supposed that the number of times his coach and fellow teammates had seen Starscream, they’d all gotten used to him.

“You spoil me,” he said.

“Yes, I know.” Coach gave him a push toward the crowd as Blurr slung the towel around his neck.

“Alright, I’m going. Sheesh.”

Blurr broke into a light jog, a squirm of happiness growing in his belly. He ignored the other people shouting his name, though he tossed them a dismissive wave. He had eyes only for Starscream.

“You won!” Starscream said gleefully, throwing his arms up.

Blurr laughed as he came to a stop on the other side of the plastic tape that served as fencing to keep the spectators from flooding the tracks. “I did.” He leaned forward, wishing they weren’t in public so he could kiss Starscream. “I thought you wouldn’t come given that, you know, you’re molting.”

Starscream lifted his shoulders in a shrug and crossed his arms. “I didn’t want to miss the opening of the season.”

Blurr rubbed the towel over his head, to give his hands something to do so he wouldn’t grab Starscream like he wanted. “I’m glad you did. According to my coach, you’re a good luck charm.”

“Of course I am.” Starscream tossed his head, feathers fluttering around his face as he grinned brightly. “And when I come back, I’ll have a surprise for you. But only if you keep winning here.”

Blurr’s gaze slanted toward the other spectators, and he felt his face turn red. He tugged the towel over the top of his head, hiding himself in the fold of it. “If you want me to win, I’ll do it,” he said, and hoped no one caught the quiver in his voice.

Starscream leaned close, the smirk on his face growing, close enough they could kiss if they weren’t in public, and people weren’t watching. “Good,” he purred. “Then I’ll see you at the finish line.”

“Blurr! Get over here!”

He startled and jumped back, tossing a guilty look over his shoulder. Coach Sylvester was waving for him across the way.

“Coming!” he shouted and half-turned back toward Starscream. “Gotta go win now. I’ll see you later?”

Starscream’s tongue flicked across his lips, a move so subtle, and yet it made Blurr’s insides twist with heat. “After the meet,” he promised.

“Blurr!”

“It’s a date,” Blurr said, in a rush, and hurried to Coach Sylvester’s summons, already seeing a chastisement in the storm cloud above her face, as she thrust his water bottle toward him impatiently.

“And what’s with you and the stars in your eyes?” she said with a visible grump.

“No reason.” Blurr chugged half the water and handed both bottle and towel to her. “Don’t be mad, but I’m going to win, okay?”

Coach Sylvester gave him a knowing look. “I figured you would.” She sighed and slung the towel over her shoulder, only to shoo him off. “Go. Line up. Just try and hold back a little, will you?”

Blurr glanced at the sidelines where Starscream waited, cheering along with the others. “I make no promises.”

He did, in fact, win. Not that there was ever any doubt. And while he could have stuck around for the interviews and the photographers and the post-race celebration with the rest of his teammates, he opted out. Coach Sylvester didn’t even push, just dismissed him with a wave, which left him free to take Starscream back to his dorm.

Victory, as it turned out, came with many, many rewards.

~

The problem with going out with Starscream in public wasn’t so much the stares or the crowds of admirers Starscream gathered, it was the almost creepy way HARP always seemed to find them, popping out of nowhere – the bushes once even – to waylay Starscream with a camera and pages upon pages of questions.

It aggravated Blurr. Starscream, by contrast, seemed to find the whole thing vastly amusing.

“Starscream! Hey, Starscream!”

“Great,” Blurr muttered. “It’s your fan club.”

Starscream laughed. “Well, can you blame them? I am one fine specimen.”

Heat stole into Blurr’s cheeks, flushing him pink all over. “That’s not the point,” he said as he rubbed at the bridge of his nose.

“It is to me.” Starscream preened, puffing his chest up, his feathers lifting high as though showing himself off.

“Hey! Wait up!”

It was Sari this time, Blurr realized with a glance over his shoulder. No Miko, so no double-teaming. She was waving her hands in the air, single high ponytail swaying as she jogged toward them, color streaks a bright green.

“Walk faster,” Blurr said, grabbing Starscream’s wrist and giving him a tug.

Starscream outright laughed. “Really? You don’t want to have a little chat?”

“No, I don’t. We’re busy!” Blurr insisted, walking a little faster.

“Dae! Dae Hyeun!”

Blurr whirled around with a growl. “I told you not to call me that!”

Sari skidded to a stop and beamed. “I know. I remember. Blurr.” Her eyes skipped over to Starscream. “Nice to see you again.”

“Nice to see you, too,” Starscream said, amusement thick in his voice. He edged closer to Blurr, nudging him with a feathery arm. “Can we help you?”

Sari clasped her hands behind her back and bounced on the balls of her feet. “What are you doing? Can I join? I just want to ask a few questions. It feels like we never get to finish our interviews.”

“That’s because you never run out of questions,” Starscream said, his lips curled into a big grin. “But we are a little busy.” He tilted his head toward Blurr. “Blurr’s going to introduce me to ice cream!”

“Can I come?” Sari clasped her hands together under her chin and looked up at them with big, innocent brown eyes. “I love ice cream.”

“Of course you do,” Blurr muttered. Was it too much to ask for some alone time with his best friend/boyfriend/possibly lover?

“No,” Starscream said. “We don’t want company.”

“Awww, that’s too bad.” Sari scuffed one foot against the ground. “Oh, well. I wanted to invite you to a welcome ceremony next week. A lot of new members of HARP want to meet you if you want to come. There’s free food and all kinds of things. You could even make some new friends!”

“I have plenty of friends,” Starscream replied with a little laugh. He slung an arm over Blurr’s shoulders, tucking him close. “In fact, I even have a best friend.”

Sari rolled her eyes. “Yeah, but Blurr’s not going to be here forever. You’ve gotta get out more.”

Blurr froze, trapped between blushing and the icy cold reminder of a conversation he’d yet to have with Starscream. The idea that what they had couldn’t last. That Blurr wasn’t always going to be here, and he couldn’t stay and Starscream couldn’t come with him.

“Pft. You don’t know what you’re talking about.” Starscream went a little still against Blurr, his hand gripping tighter. “Besides, I don’t need any new friends. My social calendar is full.”

“Awww.” Sari pouted, but there wasn’t a glimmer of defeat in her eyes. “Well, Blurr knows how to reach me if you change your mind.” She bobbed on her heels, her smile blinding. “I’ll let you two get back to your date now. Have fun!”

“Date?” Blurr spluttered, not because it wasn’t true but because he hadn’t wanted the world to find out. “What are you talking about? This isn’t a date!”

Sari grinned. “Of course it’s not.” She offered them an exaggerated wink and spun around, breaking into a light jog. “See you later!” She tossed a wave over her shoulder, and was gone before Blurr could do more than splutter and turn as red as a tomato. Argh, she was so aggravating.

“You’re cute when you’re flustered,” Starscream murmured, his hand sliding away from Blurr’s shoulder. “You blush, too. I really wish I could kiss you right now.”

Blurr ducked his head and rubbed the side of his nose. “Later.”

“Oh, I plan to,” Starscream purred and tucked his hands behind his back. “But first, you promised me ice cream.”

Blurr shoved his hands into his pockets and tilted his head to the left. “It’s this way. We’re almost there.”

The Soft ‘n Swirl was located in a small shopping center in the college town’s main hub of activity. There were dozens of small shops here, most of them locally owned though McDonald’s golden arches stood tall and proud over the other signs. But here, at least, they were used to the sight of harpies. Or they wouldn’t cause a fuss at any rate. There were enough college students around that most shopowners didn’t blink at the strange or unusual.

Sari’s words nagged at him.

“She’s right, you know,” Blurr said as the cool near-spring wind buffeted them with a burst of pollen. He brushed his hair out of his eyes, lamenting that he’d need a cut soon.

Starscream wiggled his eyebrow feathers. “About what? How beautiful I am?” He chuckled.

“No, though that is true.” Blurr sucked his bottom lip into his mouth. “I meant, about the fact I won’t be here forever. I don’t actually live here, you know. I’m just in Kaon to go to school.”

“And after?” Starscream asked.

Blurr sighed. “After, I have to find a job and a place to live. I have to start being an adult. That sort of thing.”

“You already have a job lined up?”

He wished he did. That would make it so much easier. But Blurr’s ambitions had always begun and ended with running. All else had been secondary. His current degree wasn’t even a passion. It was just a necessary means to an end.

“No, but--”

“Do you have to leave to find one?” Starscream asked.

Blurr’s forehead crinkled. “I don’t suppose so.”

“Then I don’t see what the problem is,” Starscream grumbled as he folded his arms, his feathers forming a curtain around him. “Obviously you could stay. If you wanted to.”

Blurr gnawed on the inside of his cheek. “I mean, I guess that’s true. I’d have to find a job around here, a place to live…” Soft ‘n Swirl came into view, without so much as a long line to serve as a distraction. Blurr stopped and Starscream did also, turning to face him.

“Is there somewhere else you want to be?” Starscream asked, his voice earnest, and with a hint of the desperation Blurr felt clogging his own throat.

“Well… No.” He didn’t know why all he could think about was going back to his hometown. There was nothing for him there. Not friends, not family. Nothing. Why was this even an issue? He stepped up to the counter, trying to calm the sudden raging of his heart.

Starscream’s shoulders bobbed. “Problem solved then. Just stay here.” He leaned over Blurr, staring across his head at the display. “Can we pick our ice cream now?”

Blurr supposed for Starscream it was that simple. If Blurr wanted to stay, then he should. Maybe Blurr was making this more complicated than it needed to be. But if he stayed in Kaon, would he get to run? Kaon was too small to have a team beyond the university.

If he stayed in Kaon, he’d abandon any possibility of competing in the Internationals someday. He couldn’t train here. No one would sponsor him out of Kaon. He’d have to live elsewhere for even the slimmest possibility of a chance. Sure, Blurr was hot stuff here in central-Cybertron. But on the east coast? The west coast? Competition was different.

“Sure,” Blurr said.

Starscream grinned and bounced forward, nose and hands pressed to the glass as he peered in at all the different tubs. “There are so many flavors!” he declared, a touch of awe in his voice.

“There are toppings, too,” Blurr said as he joined Starscream at the counter, already knowing what he wanted. He figured it would take Starscream a bit longer. “And you can pick a cup or a bowl or a waffle cone or a sugar cone.”

“Really?” Starscream’s tail twitched, like an excited puppy wagging.

Blurr smiled. It was so easy to do around Starscream. “Get whatever you want.”

A pleased purr echoed in Starscream’s throat. “There’s so much,” he murmured.

“Can I help you?” the young man behind the counter asked, his blue eyes dancing with amusement.

“I’ll have two scoops of mint chocolate chip on a waffle cone,” Blurr answered and gestured to Starscream with a thumb. “Also, whatever he wants. Plus as many napkins as you’re allowed to give me.”

The cashier chuckled. “We have those little moist towelettes, too. You want some of those?”

“Please.” Did Blurr sound desperate? Probably. But all he could think about was sticky feathers and a whiny Starscream later. Clean up supplies were a must.

“Sure thing.”

Johnny, as the name tag read, got to work preparing Blurr’s ice cream while Starscream scuttled back and forth in front of the counter, reading flavor tags aloud as though ranking his interest by the way the words rolled off his tongue. As soon as Johnny handed the cone over the counter, he gave Starscream an expectant look.

“Have you decided, sir?” he asked, and Blurr had to give him credit. He kept a completely straight face considering his other customer was a seven foot tall bird with a human face.

Starscream nibbled on his bottom lip, gave Blurr a limpid look, and nodded. “Could I have a scoop of butter pecan and a scoop of strawberry fields in a sugar cone cup with sprinkles on top?”

Oh, Primus. Blurr didn’t bother to conceal the grin on his face. Starscream was ever so predictable. He liked sweet, he liked colorful, and he ate strawberries like they were a food group on their own. It was unfairly adorable, and Blurr’s heart gave another pitter-patter of affection.

“Anything else?” Johnny asked as he started to put together the bowl for Starscream.

Starscream shifted his weight, gave Blurr another look, and finally shook his head. “No, thank you.”

He could be polite when he wanted.

Johnny chuckled, and didn’t seem at all bothered by the way Starscream watched him prepare the ice cream, his eyes big and round. Blurr didn’t fail to notice, either, that Johnny gave Starscream much larger scoops than he’d given Blurr, and piled far more sprinkles on top than they usually doled out. Blurr wasn’t much of a sprinkle fan, but he knew they were conservative with their toppings, usually sprinkling them on a tablespoon at a time like it really made a difference in the long run.

“Here you go!” Johnny stuck a spoon in the bowl and handed it to Starscream. “Enjoy!”

He pulled off his gloves with a snap of rubber and started ringing them up as Starscream sniffed at his ice cream. “It smells really sweet,” he murmured. His tongue slipped out, touching the very top of the pink mound covered in sprinkles. “And cold.”

“Thus the reason it’s called ice cream,” Blurr said with a laugh. He paid and dropped several bills into the tip jar. Rewarding kind cashiers was always a must for him. Especially the ones who didn’t treat Starscream like a second-class citizen. “Do you like it?”

Starscream turned the bowl around in his grip, eyed it like he would a particularly misshapen bundle of cracker jack, and then took a big bite out of the strawberry. His eyes went very wide as he rolled the taste around in his mouth. His throat bobbed as he swallowed and he stuck his tongue out, covered in pink as it was.

“Cold,” he said, and then licked his lips. “But good.”

Blurr grinned and marked ice cream down for another win. Cotton candy, no. Ice cream, yes. He tipped his head toward the little park in the center of the shopping area, a dense collection of trees and bushes and walking trails. “I’m glad. Come on. Let’s go.”

Starscream matched pace with him. “Where are we going?” he asked as he struggled to manipulate the tiny, plastic spoon.

“Somewhere we won’t have so many eyes on us.” Blurr licked around his own cone, capturing melting drips before they trailed sticky-sweet over his fingers.

“Hmm. And why wouldn’t you want us to be seen, I wonder?” Starscream purred. His tongue flicked over his lips, his eyes turning dark and hungry.

Blurr rolled his eyes. “Nothing that risque, you heathen.”

Starscream laughed.

They ducked into the cooler, chillier dim of the park. Overhead, the tall, thick trees made for a dense canopy. Sun peeked through the leaves, creating dappled shadows across the ground. The path itself was cobblestone and narrow, but it wound through the park, occasionally offering benches and small grassy areas for people to take a rest. Blurr led Starscream through a huge rhododendron that had been pruned to create a tunnel, and on the other side, was one of the largest trees in the entire park. The ground beneath it, however, was perfect for a nice, quiet place to rest.

Blurr parked himself under the tree, up against the bark, and wriggled to get comfortable. “Join me?” he asked, patting the empty space beside him.

“It would be much more comfortable in the tree,” Starscream said, but it wasn’t a refusal since he plopped himself down next to Blurr. “Though I know your smooth, small human hands aren’t that great for climbing, so I’ll let it pass.”

“Gee thanks.” Blurr attacked his ice cream with gusto, leaning in to absorb some of Starscream’s heat because he could. Distantly, they heard the sound of chatting and other people walking the paths, but most visitors rarely ventured this far inward. They wanted to walk, not stop at a dead end.

“You’re welcome.” Starscream preened and licked all around his ice cream again.

Blurr tried not to watch the movements of his tongue, but it was impossible to ignore how long and agile it was. His insides tightened with heat, pants growing a little uncomfortable around the groin, as he imagined what that tongue could do elsewhere. He already knew how well Starscream kissed.

Inevitable progression, his groin whispered.

“I’ll have to bring Roddy here someday,” Starscream mused aloud as he lick, lick, liiiicked at his ice cream. He’d love the raspberry.”

“Roddy?” Blurr repeated. Of all the names Starscream had mentioned, this one wasn’t familiar to him.

Starscream lapped long and broad around the strawberry. “Mmm. He’s the liege consort. Another smol, except he’s mostly red and orange. You two would probably get along. He’s a little brat.”

“Hey!”

Starscream grinned. “But he loves raspberries, and he’s curious about humans, too.”

“He’s the reason you wanted the raspberries at the farmer’s market.”

“Yeah. Though it was for my liege to give to him. A romantic surprise.” Starscream winked and took a big bite out of the butter pecan, making an unfairly erotic noise of satisfaction in his throat. “This is so cold, but so good. Humans are so inventive. It’s amazing.”

Blurr leaned back against the tree. “We have our moments.” He licked at his ice cream, savoring each minty-fresh bite. There was no better mint chocolate chip than that which was dyed green. Hands down. He tilted a little to the left, pressing his arm against Starscream’s. “What about you?”

Starscream nibbled on the edge of his sugar cone cup. “Hm?”

“You’re not from Kaon either, right?” Blurr prodded. “Are you leaving anytime soon?”

“No. I’m here to stay.” Starscream licked around the edge of the cone, a bit of ice cream on the corner of his lips. “I’m never going to back to Vos.”

“Why not?”

Starscream sighed and focused hard on his ice cream. “It was not a kind place to live. I couldn’t be me.”

Blurr understood that all too well. “What about your family?”

“My carrier and sire would not be too happy to see me, not after I abandoned my so-called mate.” Starscream swirled the spoon around the bowl. “I have a younger brother, however. I think about him often. If I had the chance to see Skywarp again, I would.”

“I have siblings, too,” Blurr said. He nibbled on the edge of his waffle cone. “My parents are like yours, though probably worse. They tossed me out, didn’t give me a choice in leaving. My older sister might have protested, but I wasn’t around to hear it. My younger sister is too young to have an opinion.” He chewed on his bottom lip, that squeeze around his heart returning.

He missed his family. He knew he couldn’t go back, not unless he was willing to hide part of himself and live unhappily. But he missed having a family, a home, a place he belonged. He missed holidays and birthdays and the room he’d grown up in, and tickling his younger sister and arguing with his older sister. He missed when his father used to love him, when both his parents showed up to his meets to cheer him on, the family superstar. He missed how it used to be.

Starscream rested a free hand on his knee, fingers giving him a light squeeze. “Family is complicated,” he said.

Blurr snorted a laugh over the lump in his throat. “Tell me about it.” He held out his ice cream cone to Starscream. “Want to try this one?”

“I guess you’re not afraid of getting my germs then,” Starscream teased, but he leaned in and gave it a long lick, only to wrinkle up his nose. “Ugh. Why does it taste like your toothpaste?”

“That’s the mint.” Blurr chuckled.

“Ugh,” Starscream repeated and bodily twisted away from Blurr as if to ward off the terrible ice cream. “Why would you want to have a dessert that tastes like toothpaste?”

Blurr popped the entirety of what was left in his mouth, crunching down hard on cone and ice cream. “Because it tastes good,” he mumbled around the mouthful.

“Mannerless cretin.” Starscream hunched over his own ice cream and hurriedly spooned several bites of it into his mouth. “Clearly, of the two of us, I have better taste.”

“You have no sense of adventure,” Blurr declared. He hooked his chin over Starscream’s feathery shoulder. “Can I have a taste of yours?” he asked, and pointedly stuck out his tongue, waiting for a spoonful to be fed to him.

Instead, he got a kiss, one that tasted like strawberries and butter pecan. Starscream’s tongue was cold as it shoved into his mouth, but so sweet. Blurr sighed into the kiss, forgetting for a moment that they were literally out in public and anyone could peer through the brush and see them.

“How was that?” Starscream asked against his lips.

“Risky,” Blurr said as he swept his tongue over his lips. “But sweet.”

Starscream chuckled and pressed their foreheads together. “I think we should go back to your room now.”

Blurr swallowed thickly as a flush of heat spread through his body. “Yeah, I do, too.”

They scrambled up from beneath the tree and made a beeline for the exit, Starscream gobbling down the rest of his ice cream at a rapid pace. They paused by the trash cans stationed near the main entrance to throw away their trash, ever environmentally cautious.

The first time Starscream realized humans were so rude as to toss their garbage on the ground wherever they pleased, he’d been appalled. Blurr tossed in the wrapper from his cone, and remembered the receipt he’d shoved into his pocket. He didn’t need to keep it and if he didn’t take it out now, it would end up in the wash later, and a mess he’d have to pull out the lint trap.

“Hold on. Let me toss this, too.” Blurr dug the receipt from his pocket and frowned. Something else was crumpled with it. Important? He pulled the paper free and smoothed it out.

‘Johnny,’ it said. ‘Call me.’ And then it listed a number.

Blurr’s face went crimson.

“What?” Starscream asked.

Blurr crumpled up the number and tossed it into the trash with the receipt. He had no need for either. Johnny had been cute, and his type if he hadn’t already had Starscream. Logic dictated he should have called Johnny because Starscream wasn’t a long-term plan. But frag logic. Blurr knew what his heart wanted.

“Nothing I need.” Blurr hooked his arm around Starscream and tugged the harpy closer. He had everything he wanted right here.

***

 


	15. Chapter 15

"You don't have to go," Blurr repeated in between kisses, his bare legs sliding against the intermittent fluff and scratch of new and old feathers.

Starscream chuckled against his lips and cupped Blurr's ass, pulling him closer. "Yes, I do."

"I can keep helping you with the molt," Blurr said as he scratched his fingers through the smaller feathers at the base of Starscream's neck, worrying free several leavings and making Starscream shiver with delight.

Starscream hummed and tipped Blurr's head up, his mouth and teeth scraping over Blurr's throat. "Yes, you could. And I appreciate all the help you've given me so far." He licked a pulse point before sucking on it, and Blurr moaned. "But I need to soak in the springs, and I need someone with talons."

Blurr rocked against Starscream, his dick hard and leaking, straining in the confines of his boxer-briefs. Starscream was hard, too, the thick line of his clava rubbing up against Blurr's thighs, leaving streaks of pre-come behind.

"I'm sure I could find something at a pet store," Blurr said, and maybe it came across as a whine, but having Starscream here for a couple weeks straight had been wonderful, and he doesn't look forward to sleeping alone.

Starscream laughed and bit his throat, hard enough to send a jolt down Blurr's spine. He groaned, dick throbbing harder, his bare toes plucking at the thin carpet.

His cheap desk chair creaked ominously. It hadn't been designed for this kind of vigorous activity.

"You're such an ass," Starscream said, and grabbed Blurr's ass pointedly, talons pricking through the cotton of his briefs. He tugged Blurr close, ground up against him. "I'm not a pet bird."

Blurr licked his lips. "You sure about that?" He grinned and ground down, applying hot friction to the rigid clava poking at him. "Cause I'm pretty sure you're my pet." He scratched at Starscream's nape again, breathing coming in sharper pants as his belly tightened with want. "I mean, I feed you, I bathe you, I clean up your mess. I think that counts."

Starscream growled and abruptly stood, lifting Blurr with ease. "I'm not a pet," he repeated, sharper this time.

Blurr's back hit the bed, and he moaned as Starscream's weight fell on top of him, their respective dicks slamming together with the buffer of cotton tucked between them. Starscream covered his mouth, tongue slipping inside, tasting of their poptart and orange juice breakfast.

Blurr moaned, clutching at Starscream's sides, hips rolling up, his dick throbbing incessantly. Arousal tightened into a knot in his belly, and his boxers dampened from their combined fluids. He crossed his ankles behind Starscream's hips, giving himself enough leverage to ride Starscream's thrusts, the hot puffs of Starscream's exhales ghosting over his ear.

Starscream broke away from his mouth, nosing his way to Blurr's throat again, and Blurr tipped his head back, throat bobbing under the scrape of Starscream's teeth. The harpy growled again, the sound vibrating against Blurr's skin. It felt so damn good, this mimicry of sex, Starscream thrusting against him, their hips rolling together, the slick friction of feather and fluid-soaked cotton.

Starscream's teeth scraped his throat again, lips and tongue immediately following to soothe the reddened skin, and Blurr lost it. He moaned as he came, thighs clamped tight around Starscream's hips, his dick spurting into a sticky mess in his boxers.

He carded his fingers through Starscream's mismatched feather crest and tugged Starscream up into a sloppy kiss, tongues tangling. Starscream muttered something in a language Blurr didn't know, and he gripped Blurr's hips tightly, talons leaving little pinpricks in his skin. He thrust hard, grinding Blurr down into the bed, before the hot splashes of his come joined the soppy mess at Blurr's groin.

Blurr hummed approvingly and cupped Starscream's face, gentling the kiss and nuzzling him. "If you were my pet," he said in between pants, his heart thudding so fast it echoed in his ears, "we could do this every day."

Starscream chuckled and rested his forehead against Blurr's. "You know, in my aerie, you'd be considered the pet."

"Sounds like a good gig to me." Blurr stroked Starscream's feathers, occasionally coming away with a piece of shed fluff. "I'd get pampered and fed, and I wouldn't have to work. I could lounge around your nest all day and spend all night in your bed."

"You'd get bored." Starscream's lips brushed over his and then pressed to the corner of his mouth. "You'd have to perform for me. I expect my pets to entertain me."

Blurr grinned. "I can be entertaining."

"I believe it." Starscream pushed up and looked down at him, a small smile curving his lips. "I still have to go."

"You can wait until tonight," Blurr said.

Starscream looked past him, through the window where they'd adjusted the blinds to let in the early morning sun. Or what would have been sun if a thick cover of grey clouds hadn't cloaked the sky.

"I'll be caught in the rain if I do," he said, regret thick in his voice. "If I get sick, Ratchet will tear out my tail feathers, even the new ones."

Blurr sighed and stroked his hands down Starscream's arms. "When will you come back?"

"Shouldn't take longer than a week. I plan to be back Sunday at the latest," Starscream assured him. He leaned down for another nuzzle. "You'll just have to entertain yourself with practice and actually doing your schoolwork."

"That's not appealing," Blurr grumbled.

Starscream chuckled and leaned back, pulling Blurr upright. "You're almost done, remember? Don't want to quit now." He openly ogled Blurr's body. "Hmm. Maybe I'll try and be back Saturday. Don't know how long I can stay away from this."

Blurr rolled his eyes and slid off the bed, the squishiness behind his boxers more uncomfortable than erotic now. "I'm going to shower. Don't you dare leave without saying goodbye," he said, poking Starscream in the abdomen, above the come splattered on his belly.

"I wouldn't dream of it." Starscream cupped his face and brushed their lips together in a brief kiss. "Get cleaned up." He patted Blurr on the ass and pushed him toward the bathroom.

"I'm going."

Blurr stepped into the bathroom, but left the door cracked. They didn't shower together, but Blurr didn't want to feel like he was keeping Starscream out either. The water here just didn't agree with Starscream, and they couldn't both fit in the tiny stall of the shower. Frag, Blurr barely fit himself.

He stripped out of his dirty boxers and showered quickly, half-afraid Starscream would be some kind of noble and slip out so Blurr couldn't convince him to stay. He hadn't brought any clean clothes with him, so he wrapped his towel around his waist and stepped back into the room, bringing a cloud of steam with him.

Blurr blinked. He looked around. "Did you clean?" he asked as he pushed his damp hair off his forehead.

"A little," Starscream said. He scratched his chin with a primary talon. "I left the vacuuming for you to do."

Of course he did. Starscream hated the vacuum cleaner. He reacted to it like cats did, his feathers raising and everything. Blurr swore he'd even seen Starscream growl at it.

"It's fine. I'll take care of it. Thanks." Blurr stepped in to Starscream who automatically pulled him closer for an embrace.

"Mmm. Freshly washed Blurr. My favorite," Starscream hummed as he nuzzled Blurr's damp hair. "It's almost enough to make me stay."

Blurr chuckled and rubbed his face against Starscream's chest, inhaling the scent of feathers and fruit. "I could keep trying."

"And it might almost work, but I'm going to be determined." Starscream pulled away and scratched at his chest with a few talons. "Besides, when I come back, I'll be beautiful again."

"You're beautiful now," Blurr said.

Starscream grinned at him. "Charmer." He bent down and picked up his fanny-sack, situating it around his waist. "That'll be true when I come back. Promise."

"Let me throw on some clothes. I'll walk you down," Blurr said as he threw his wardrobe open and reached for the easiest thing to put on.

"I'm actually going up, not down. And no need. If I let you tell me goodbye, I won't leave." Starscream embraced him from behind, and Blurr leaned into the hug. "Be good."

Blurr snorted. "I should be telling you that, troublemaker."

Starscream pressed a kiss to Blurr's cheek and withdrew, his feathers sliding silkily over Blurr's bare skin. "I'll be back in a week, Zippy. Promise."

"You'd better," Blurr grumbled.

He watched Starscream go, closing the door gently behind him. Blurr absolutely did not miss him immediately. He pulled on some clothes and contemplated pulling out the vacuum to finish what Starscream missed.

Maybe later.

Blurr flopped onto his bed and pulled a pillow under his cheek, groaning into it. There were a lot of things he could be doing right now, like searching for some references for his senior research paper. But that would involve a trip to the library. Which meant he might run into Rathi, who would narrow her eyes at him and wonder why he still hadn’t gotten started.

No, it would more involve choosing a topic. He had a week to pick something for his thesis and so far, he was coming up blank. He was a business major! What groundbreaking thesis could he come up with that his teacher hadn’t seen from a dozen other students.

Argh.

Worse because Blurr didn’t care. He only picked Business because it was the most basic degree he could take outside of Biological Sciences. They were both versatile, would suit nearly any field he went into after college, and were flexible.

They were also boring.

Blurr rolled over on his side and stared out the window. He should go for a run. It wasn’t a beautiful day, but the temperature wasn’t terrible. It was a good day to run before the storm hit. He should get off his ass and do something.

His phone rang with a familiar ring tone.

Blurr groaned and hauled himself off the bed, stumbling over to his desk and snatching up his cell.

“I thought you had a date last night,” he said as he accepted the call. “Or didn’t it go well?”

TJ’s voice poured through the speaker, jovial and amused. “I wouldn’t call it a date. Dating implies that it’s serious. This was something else.”

Blurr rolled his eyes and whipped out his chair, flopping down into it. “Still. Shouldn’t you be working on a few more rounds right now?”

“Aw, you’re jealous. That’s sweet.” TJ laughed and there was a distant sound of a can popping open. “Rumor has it a big bird was seen flying out of Kaon a few moments ago. Does that mean you finally have time for an old friend?”

Rumor had it? What the frag?

“I always have time for you, what the hell are you talking about?” Blurr popped back up and hunted for his runners, shoving his feet into them. “And yeah, Starscream went back to the Aerie. My shower isn’t the same as a hot springs for a soak apparently.”

“Now I’m the one that’s jealous. I want to soak in some hot springs, too.” TJ’s voice took on a dreamy note before he slurped at whatever he was drinking -- probably cheap beer, TJ had no taste. “Come over. We can play Need for Speed.”

Blurr laughed and rooted out his hoodie as well, throwing it over a shoulder. “That game is old. You do know they actually make new ones, right?” He snatched his ID card and keys from the table near the door, shoving both into his pocket.

“Shut up and get your ass over here.”

TJ, in delightfully TJ fashion, ended the call without saying ‘goodbye’. Blurr grinned and tucked the phone into the back of his jeans. He shrugged into his hoodie and was out the door a few seconds later, locking it carefully behind him.

This was much better than moping about in his room.

~

Less than ten minutes later, Blurr knocked on TJ’s front door while he laid his finger on the bell, making it ring over and over again. TJ shared a house with three other guys, all of whom had their own rooms and helped split the rent. But it being the weekend, most of them weren’t going to be home.

The door flung open.

“They hate it when you do that,” TJ said as he smacked Blurr’s hand away from the doorbell. “You could have a little patience.”

“When have you ever known me for being patient?” Blurr slipped inside, toeing off his shoes into the pile of them near the front door. He sniffed the air tentatively, and the scent of febreze stung his nose hairs. “You do know that spraying the house with febreze doesn’t count as cleaning it, right?”

“Shut up.” TJ pulled him into a hug, slapping his back. “Hi, stranger. Where the fuck you been hiding?”

“You see me at practice all the time.” Blurr stepped out of reach and tugged off his hoodie. It was hot as hell in here. Chip must have won the battle for the thermostat again.

TJ led him down the hall, past the living room and the kitchen, and up the stairs. His room was the master, first door on the left, with its own bathroom. “Practice doesn’t count since Coach yells at us too much to get a conversation in.”

“Mmm. Good point.”

TJ pushed open his door, which took some effort, no doubt because there was laundry piled up behind it. Organized and tidy, TJ was not. It was one of the reasons they tended to meet at Blurr’s dorm rather than TJ’s larger room. Blurr couldn’t abide the mess.

Blurr hung his hoodie on the empty over-door hook rack -- empty because TJ never used it. The scent of febreze was stronger up here, and Blurr fought the urge to tackle the mess he knew had to be shoved under the bed and into the closet. TJ’s idea of tidying up was to shove the chaos out of sight.

“But your time has been getting better,” Blurr said as he turned in a slow circle, taking in the new posters and paraphernalia haphazardly tacked up on the wall. TJ tended to swap out his posters on a monthly basis. “Coach even put you in the clinch for the relay.”

“Not as fast as you.” TJ elbowed him and hooked an arm around Blurr’s waist, tucking his chin over Blurr’s shoulder. “But thanks for noticing.”

Blurr turned, his face inches from TJ’s bright grin. “Didn’t you want to play a game?”

“Yeah. Why? Does it seem like I want something else?” TJ chuckled and rubbed their cheeks together before he pulled away. “Blurr, you have a dirty mind.”

“Shut up.”

Blurr parked his ass on the edge of TJ’s Queen-size bed as his best friend and former lover, fired up the game system and loaded Need for Speed into it. Blurr crossed his legs and accepted the controller as TJ handed it to him, plopping down next to him.

“Pizza for lunch?” TJ asked as he flicked through the menu to the settings, arranging their preferences as usual. The harder the better.

“Only if I can get pineapple on it.”

“You disgust me. That must be Starscream’s influence. You never wanted fruit on pizza before.”

Blurr shrugged and seriously contemplated his vehicle of choice. Should he go with a classic, a favorite, or something new? “Don’t knock it until you try it.”

“Mmm. He give you that mark on your neck, too?”

It took a moment for the words to sink in. Blurr froze, heat flooding his cheeks. He hadn’t looked in the mirror before heading out. It was only TJ. He didn’t care that much about his appearance. He hadn’t even bothered to style his hair.

He didn’t think to check his neck or his collar. Starscream was usually so careful. They were careful.

Blurr touched his neck, as if he could see the mark by feel alone. He chuckled, and wondered if his sweaty palms were obvious. “I, uh--”

TJ hit pause. He turned to look at Blurr, and Blurr didn’t know if he could identify the look in TJ’s eyes or not. “How long we been friends, Dae?”

“Three years,” he said automatically. He dropped the controller in his lap, scrubbing his damp palms on his jeans. “Which frankly is a record for me.”

TJ’s lip curled in a smile. He leaned back on his hands and rolled his head toward Blurr, still keeping that faint grin. “Three years, and you still don’t trust me.”

Blurr swallowed over a lump in his throat. He stared at his hands. “It’s not about trust.” But maybe it also was. Blurr didn’t know if he really trusted anyone. “I mean, it’s Starscream. He’s a harpy. It’s different. I didn’t know how you’d react. How anyone would react.”

“Dude, I love you. All I want is for you to be happy. Which obviously Starscream does for you since I don’t think I’ve ever seen you smile so much.” TJ swept several braids over his shoulder and gave Blurr a steady look. “Yeah, okay, Starscream’s a harpy, but he’s not an animal or anything. He’s just a human with feathers. Why would I judge you for that?”

Blurr’s heart pounded so hard he swore he could feel it in his ears. “You’d be surprised what people judge others for.”

“Yeah, no, I wouldn’t.” TJ’s face twisted toward a scowl, but it was directed elsewhere. “I’m lucky, you know. My parents didn’t blink when I told them I was queer, but public school was a whole different ballpark.” He sat up and swiveled on the bed, curling his legs in front of him in a pose to match Blurr’s. “It was a nightmare.”

Blurr’s experience was somewhat the opposite -- school was a refuge while home was a cage.

“And it definitely didn’t help that I’m not a pretty white boy.” TJ shrugged, and Blurr recognized a defensive shrug when he saw one. “So yeah, I’m not surprised what people can judge you about.”

Blurr sighed and scrubbed his hands down his face. “I’m sorry, Tee. I was gonna tell you, I swear.” He was shaking, and he hadn’t managed to stop. It hadn’t hit him, until this moment, just how scared he’d been of TJ’s reaction.

TJ scooted closer and bumped his shoulder with Blurr’s. “I get why you didn’t. But so’s you know, I one-hundred percent got your back.”

“Thanks.” Blurr leaned over, resting his head on TJ’s shoulder. “You’re amazing, just so  _you_  know.”

TJ snorted. “I knew that already.” He pressed a sloppy kiss to Blurr’s forehead. “Also, you need to tell Rathi because she’ll kick both our asses if you don’t.” He paused and hummed. “Then again, she’s going to be jealous so maybe you shouldn’t. A conundrum.”

“Jealous of who?”

“Both of you probably.” TJ laughed and tilted his head against Blurr’s, leaving it there, his twists tickling at Blurr’s nape. “She’s half in love with Starscream herself.”

Not that Blurr could blame her. “He’s pretty lovable.”

TJ curled his arm around Blurr’s back, tucking Blurr against his side. Blurr soaked in the comfort, the familiarity. TJ was warm, and he smelled like febreze and his hair cream and sweat, probably because he hadn’t bothered to shower today. He and Rathi and now Starscream were the closest thing Blurr had to family.

“I’m so glad you’re happy, Dae,” TJ murmured as the tinny music of the video game played quietly in the background of the pause screen. “It’s obvious Starscream adores you, and I can’t imagine he’ll ever hurt you.”

Not like Josiah. Blurr heard the unspoken statement.

Blurr plucked at a loose string in his jeans. “I’m happy for now,” he admitted, and he drew in a shuddering breath. “But what happens when I graduate? I don’t have a job. I don’t have plans. I don’t have anything to offer. Can we even stay together?”

“Whoa, whoa. Calm down. One thing at a time.” TJ rubbed his shoulder and arm, making a humming noise in his throat. “You have time to figure all this out. You want to be with Starscream, right?”

“Yeah.”

“Then think about how you can make that happen.”

“I don’t know. That’s the problem!” Blurr rolled his eyes and rolled out of TJ’s embrace, because now he needed to pace. He couldn’t be seated when he felt this anxious.

Not that there was much room to pace. TJ might have scored the master bedroom, but after shoving in his bed, desk, dresser, and entertainment center, there wasn’t much room left. Also, who put a closet there? It was the single most awkward position to put a closet.

“I’m going to graduate in less than three months, and I literally have no idea what I’m going to do afterward,” Blurr said, throwing up his hands. “Like I’ve wasted all my time here.”

“Have you applied for any jobs?”

Blurr spun before he got to the doorway and nearly tripped on a stray sock. “No.”

“Well, you’re never going to get a job if you don’t apply for one, idiot.” TJ rolled his eyes and tucked his hands into his lap, giving Blurr a pointed look. “You’re fast, but you can’t rely on scoring a spot on the international team. You need a back up. Have you looked around here at all?”

Blurr scrubbed the back of his neck with one hand. “Sort of.”

“Primus, Dae.” TJ groaned and palmed his face, looking like he wanted to take Blurr over his knee and spank some sense into him. “You’re getting yourself worked up, and you haven’t even made any effort yet. Try looking for a job before you decide it’s hopeless.”

Blurr sucked his bottom lip into his mouth and crossed his arms, hunching his shoulders up to his ears. “Dr. Morgan offered me a position working with the Avian Studies department,” he admitted.

“Well, then you should go for it!” TJ threw up his hands in exasperation, and maybe a bit of chastisement. “You have options. That’s the point. And I’m sure you can find something around here if you don’t want to do that.”

Blurr scratched at his cheek, a blush building beneath his skin. “You make everything sound so simple.”

“That’s because you overcomplicate things, doofus.” TJ laughed and pushed himself off the bed, pulling Blurr into a sloppy hug. “Now come on. Let’s play some Need for Speed, order lunch, and take your mind off stress for a little bit.”

Blurr sighed and pressed his face into TJ's bare shoulder, taking a moment to center himself. The last fifteen minutes had been a whirlwind of emotion, and his brain was still spinning from it.

"Thanks," he said, voice muffled against TJ's skin.

"Anytime." TJ hugged him, though it better qualified as a squeeze, and Blurr squeaked, before TJ let him go, patting him on the shoulders. "Now, are you ready to get your ass kicked?"

"Pfft. Only if you're ready to lose." Blurr flopped onto the bed, grabbing the controller from the floor where it had fallen. "And I'm getting pineapple on my pizza."

"You monster." TJ plopped down next to him and snatched up his controller as well. "You're lucky I love you."

Blurr grinned.

~

It was late by the time Blurr returned to his dorm, but he was stuffed full of pizza and not ready to go to sleep. He had too much energy to burn.

He wasn’t fond of cleaning, but it was a necessity now that Starscream had gone, despite Starscream’s attempts to clean up earlier.

Out came the vacuum, the dust rag, the trash bins. He swept and vacuumed and dusted every bit of feather fluff from every surface. He kept the feathers that were better looking than the others, stashing them in his trunk under the bed, but the rest he gathered up for the trash bin. He couldn’t keep them  _all_.

Blurr emptied the vacuum cleaner for the third time and went back for more, jabbing the extender into every nook and cranny. Over two weeks of Starscream being here and he’d infested every corner with his fluff.

He was pretty cute when he whined though.

Blurr grinned remembering how Starscream would roll about on the floor, complaining about how much he itched. Or how hot he was in the middle of the night when Blurr was trying to sleep and Starscream lay over him like a living goosedown comforter. It was nice waking up to sweet harpy kisses though, and the ladies at the local cafe adored Starscream and his never-ending hunger for cinnamon rolls.

A thrill ran through Blurr’s body. He frowned and looked down at himself. This was not the time to be getting a hard on. He was vacuuming for Primus’ sake.

Or, well, vacuuming and daydreaming all at the same time. He couldn't help it. Despite his cleaning, the air still smelled like Starscream, like fruit and feathers and a unique odor Blurr couldn't call anything but 'Starscream'. It was soaked into every surface of his dorm.

He liked the reminder.

His phone dinged. Blurr cut off the vacuum and leaned over to look at it.

"Seriously, neighbor, it's almost midnight. Parties are okay, but late night cleaning isn't. Chill."

It was a post on the dorm message board, aimed at Blurr's room number. He chuckled and replied with a quick apology. He stowed the vacuum. He'd get the rest in the morning, if there was any.

He dropped down into his desk chair and woke up his computer. TJ was right about a lot of things, but then, he usually was. Blurr couldn't sit and mope and stress. That wasn't what he was. He was a man of action. He didn't spend time thinking. He spent time doing.

So he googled a resume template and got to work. No matter where he ended up employed, either with Avian Studies or somewhere in Kaon, or somewhere close enough for a commute, he'd need a decent resume. He wouldn't get hired without one.

He had to start somewhere.

Might as well start with this.

***

 


	16. Chapter 16

After two weeks of Starscream living with him, it was weird not to have the harpy around. A week felt like a long time to wait for Starscream's return.  
  
Blurr kept himself busy. He went to class. He worked on projects. He searched for potential job opportunities. He polished up his resume. He went to practice, and he focused hard on improving his time. He tried a couple relays to practice his reaction time and working in a team.  
  
Coach was impressed. Some of his teammates were not, but Blurr ignored their glares and quiet mutterings. He'd graduate at the end of the semester and they'd all have their chance to shine afterward. Now was Blurr's moment. He'd been preparing for it for the past four years. He'd let them all slack long enough.  
  
Coach must have noticed. She was waiting for him outside the locker room, pacing back and forth, her hands clasped behind her back.  
  
"What's up, Coach?" Blurr asked as TJ slipped past him, patting him on the shoulder. He tossed TJ a grin before turning his attention back to Coach Sylvester. "Something wrong?"  
  
Coach cocked her head. "Come with me, Speed Racer. We need to talk."  
  
"That's never a good sign," Blurr tried to joke as he hefted his bag over his shoulder and followed Coach toward her office, passing the display case of past trophies.  
  
"You're not in trouble this time."  
  
"That's not comforting, Coach."  
  
She barked a laugh, her eyes sparkling. "Good. That means I'm doing my job." She twisted the knob and opened the door, gesturing for Blurr to precede her. "Talent before beauty."  
  
Blurr paused and squinted up at her. "I'm not sure if that's an insult. I just feel like we should clarify."  
  
"Get your ass in there."  
  
Blurr grinned and got his ass inside. He plopped down in the chair in front of her desk, dropping his bag down beside it. He immediately slouched, trying to ignore the rumbles of his stomach. He was ready to grab a footlong to go and veg out on his bed, watching The Princess Bride because he could, and Starscream wasn't here to tease him about it.  
  
Coach closed the door -- which meant they were talking serious business -- and kicked back behind her desk, ankles crossed and feet on the desk. Only she was allowed to do that, as Blurr had learned the hard way. She threaded her fingers together and rested her hands on her belly.  
  
"This is your last year with me, Dae Hyeun," she said.  
  
Blurr cracked a smile. "You Real Named me. This must be important."  
  
"Hush. Let me finish." Coach noisily cleared her throat. "Anyway, you're my winner. You've been winning for me for three years, and I expect this year isn't going to change that. It's good. It's real good. I have more trophies thanks to you." She lifted her eyebrows, and Blurr looked above her, to the shelves lined with trophies, all expertly shined.  
  
"You're welcome," he said.  
  
"Thank you." She laughed and dropped her feet, sitting up straight. "But do you know what I like more than trophies, Blurr?"  
  
He squinted. "Money?"  
  
"Aside from money."  
  
Blurr was at a loss. "Cheap wine and expensive chocolates?"  
  
"Don't make me throw this stapler at you." Coach's smile, however, belied her irritation. "Success, Blurr. Specifically, the success of my favorite kids. So imagine how delighted I was to discover that the National scouts are going to be here next week for the semi-finals."  
  
Blurr's eyes widened. "Seriously?"  
  
"I have my sources." Coach Sylvester smirked and planted her hands on the desk, leaning toward Blurr. "You know what this means, don't you?" She didn't give him an chance to answer. "It means this is your chance to shine. No holding back, you hear me. I want you to show me the speed I know you have."  
  
"You sure? What about Finals?"  
  
"Screw Finals!" Coach threw her hands in the air before pointing at him. "You score a position on this team, you won't need the finals. I still expect you to win now, it just won't be a surprise. It'll be a foregone conclusion. You get me?"  
  
For the second time in as many days, Blurr's head spun. It was a lot to take in at once. "Yeah, I get you," he said, aware that his voice sounded a little faint.  
  
"Good." Coach sat back into a slouch, looking like she'd lifted a weight from her shoulders. "I already know you're going to blow them all away, Dae Hyeun. You're going to leave here as a big star on the international stage."  
  
Leave.  
  
Well, of course he would be leaving. The National team was based out of Praxus, half a continent away. He'd be travelling for most of the time, except for the off-season, and training for the other half of the time. His whole world would change.  
  
He'd have to leave Kaon.  
  
He'd have to leave Starscream.  
  
A pang ripped through Blurr's chest at the thought. He'd finally found happiness in Kaon. He'd started feeling like he belonged somewhere, with someone, like his family could never contact him again and it wouldn't always tear him apart.  
  
Coach was right, however. This was an enormous opportunity. The kind most sprinters dreamed of. Blurr could compete on an international level. His name could go down in the record books for all times. He could be someone his parents would want to claim again. He'd never want for anything ever again.  
  
But he'd have to leave Starscream.  
  
"Blurr."  
  
He blinked and looked up at Coach. "Sorry, I-- thank you for your confidence in me." Blurr managed a smile and hoped she believed it. "This is pretty amazing."  
  
He didn't want to let Coach down either. She'd done so much for him.  
  
"Well, you're pretty amazing so it just makes sense," Coach said. She grinned and swiveled toward her computer. "Now get out of here and eat something. I swear I can't hear anything over the growling of your stomach."  
  
"Sir, yes, sir." Blurr hauled himself out of the chair, slinging his bag back over his shoulder. "Thanks, Coach. I mean it."  
  
"I know you do, kid. And you're welcome."  
  
Blurr skedaddled, closing the door quietly behind him, his thoughts smacking against each other, leaving him torn. He was going to do his best on the races, that was a foregone conclusion. There was still no guarantee the team would even want him, but if they did, what would he do? Leap on the opportunity?  
  
Primus.  
  
He couldn't think on an empty stomach.  
  
Blurr swung by the sandwich shop, grabbed two footlongs plus half a dozen cookies, and headed back home. He should probably do some research for his paper, but nope, not today. He couldn't possibly concentrate on it right now.  
  
His phone rang.  
  
Blurr juggled his bags to dig it out of his pocket, the standard ringtone proving it wasn't TJ or Rathi or Coach. Starscream would have a personal ringtone if he had a phone.  
  
It's Miko.  
  
Blurr stared at the screen for a second, debating whether or not he'd answer it, before politeness won out. "Starscream's not on campus, Miko. He went back to the Aerie," Blurr said to answer, figuring he could cut the conversation in half if he led with that.  
  
"Awww. Do you know when he's coming back?" she asked, and Blurr imagined she looked like a disappointed canine, her happily wagging tail suddenly slowing to a stall.  
  
"By the weekend, I hope," Blurr said. "I'll let him know you're looking for him."  
  
"Wait, wait! Don't hang up! I have another question!" Miko shouted as he started to end the call.  
  
Blurr sighed and brought the phone back up to his ear. "Yeah?"  
  
Miko huffed into the receiver. "We really need to work on your people skills. The good news is, I have the perfect opportunity for you to do that."  
  
“Really.”  
  
“Yeah! It’s an interview. With me and Sari.”  
  
Blurr groaned and tried to rub his face, only to almost smack himself with his bag of dinner. “Miko, I really don’t--”  
  
“Before you say no, let me tell you why,” Miko interjected, and in the background, someone shouted and a car honked. Wherever Miko was, there was traffic. Maybe she shouldn’t be on the phone. Or maybe Sari was driving.  
  
“How about you use a signal, asshole?!”  
  
Scratch that.  
  
Sari was definitely driving.  
  
“I’m listening,” Blurr said.  
  
“Sari, they can’t hear you,” Miko grumbled.  
  
“Maybe if they could they’d finally learn how to drive!”  
  
Miko chuckled and spoke directly into the phone. “Listen, I had an idea. Why don’t you let Sari and I interview you? Not about the stuff you don’t wanna talk about, I mean, stuff about Harpies and all that? I know Starscream’s trying to better relations between humans and harpies. I think an interview with you would really help that.”  
  
Oh.  
  
Oh, that was  _dirty_. Blurr would turn down an interview of himself in a heartbeat, but helping Starscream? That was an entirely different story. He knew Starscream was proud of his job working with Dr. Morgan and the Avian Studies department. He was always chatting about plans to make a better future.  
  
Blurr clenched his teeth. “It’s just about harpies?” he asked as he stopped in front of his dorm, knowing he’d lose the call as soon as he went into the lobby.  
  
“And your friendship with Starscream,” Miko confirmed as Sari shouted at another driver in the background, adding in the car horn for emphasis. Road rage much? “I feel like hearing it from a human’s perspective will help others empathize.”  
  
“Sure, sure. Whatever. Just let me know when, and I’ll be there.”  
  
“I’ll text you the details, okay? And just let me know when Starscream is back, please? We should get back together soon. Movie night, yeah?”  
  
Blurr laughed to himself. He had to admit, that party had been fun. It was relaxing to be with Starscream and around others and still be able to be himself. Perhaps they couldn’t embrace and snuggle and be openly together, but they could at least be friendly.  
  
“So long as Starscream isn’t allowed to pick the movie.”  
  
“We’ll see. Sari, you missed our turn!”  
  
“No, I didn’t.”  
  
“Yes, you did! It was right there.”  
  
Blurr shook his head and hung up the phone, tucking it back into his pocket. He couldn’t imagine Miko had anything else to say. She’d text him the details.  
  
He swiped his badge and entered the building, swinging by to grab his mail. He was in a bad habit of not checking it often enough, and sometimes, he got a stern reminder taped to his door from the RA. Apparently, he was required to throw away his junk mail on a regular basis.  
  
Blurr dug out his key and opened the box, groaning at the envelopes stuffed inside. He carried the stack over to a nearby counter and flipped through them quickly -- junk, junk, junk, advertisement, junk, phone bill. He kept the bill.  
  
The bottom of the stack had an unfamiliar envelope -- card stock. Weird, because it wasn't his birthday or any other holiday he could have missed in the past couple of weeks. It was addressed to him though, and there was no name on the return address, just a post office box.  
  
Blurr shrugged and ripped it open, pulling out a generic card of pastel colors and flowers. On the front it said 'Thinking of You', and on the inside, familiar handwriting glared back at him.  
  
Fragging Josiah.  
  
He skimmed the contents and anger brewed in his belly. He clenched his teeth and opted to tear the letter into shreds, shoving it into the recycle bin with all the rest of his junk mail.  
  
He didn't want pity. He didn't want the opportunity. He didn't want the strings. And he most certainly didn't want Josiah.  
  
Blurr might be stressing about the future and his job prospects and his relationship with Starscream, but there was no worry he had that he wanted Josiah to solve. Maybe Rathi was right. Maybe he should have tried for an actual restraining order.  
  
He went upstairs, taking his phone bill with him, and dumped his stuff on the floor. He flopped facefirst onto his bed, letting out a loud groan into his pillow. Where was Starscream when Blurr needed a hug and a kiss and some feathery comfort, damn it?  
  
He turned his head and eyed the two footlongs and half-dozen cookies waiting for him. It would be unhealthy to eat it all in one sitting.  
  
His phone rang.  
  
Blurr groaned and fished it out of his pocket, pressing it to his ear without checking the name. "I see you remember I exist."  
  
"That's not fair," Rathi replied with a huff. "I'm a senior, too. And even busier than you are!"  
  
Well, Rathi was pre-med, so Blurr supposed he could forgive her for suddenly being unable to answer his calls. Or e-mails.  
  
"Besides, TJ tells me you have something you want to tell me, so I made time."  
  
"Oh, I see how it is. You'll answer TJ's calls but not mine." Blurr rolled over onto his back, staring up at the white speckled ceiling. "I know who your favorite is now."  
  
Ratchi chuckled. "Shut up and come over. I miss you."  
  
"You should have thought of that before you abandoned me." Blurr glanced at his wall clock and thumped his head back on the pillow. "I've got an eight a.m. class over in Nova. I can't stay out all night."  
  
"Then stay here, idiot. I'm closer to Nova."  
  
"Do I need to fear for my chastity?"  
  
"Dae Hyeun Song, I will end you. Get your butt over here." Rathi tried to sound stern, and it worked. Blurr wasn't immune to her smoky alto taking on that note. "I'm gonna make curry. And I've got Oreos."  
  
Blurr rolled out of bed, snatching his footlongs from the floor to shove them into the fridge. They'd keep.  
  
"You had me at Oreos. I'll be there in ten."  
  
"Key's under the mat. You know where."  
  
Click.  
  
Blurr threw a change of clothes, a spare toothbrush, and the notebook he'd need for tomorrow's class into his bag. Rathi couldn't cook to save her life, but her curry was divine and the food of the gods. It was the only thing she was good at, and Blurr's mouth watered just thinking about it.  
  
Rathi lived in a small studio apartment in a complex located on the perimeter of campus. She didn't have any roommates and with her apartment on the top floor, the noisiest neighbors were below or around her. Except Rathi didn't have noisy neighbors because she was blessed with being surrounded by a bunch of determined, overachievers who were actually interested in studying and quiet.  
  
Some people had all the luck.  
  
Blurr showed up just as the sun was starting to dip toward the horizon. He took the elevator up to the tenth floor because he was feeling lazy, and huffed it down the hallway to 1018, last door on the left. There was no mat, per se, but the key was in the tiny mail bucket attached to the wall.  
  
Blurr fished it out and let himself inside, the smell of curry powder and spices immediately assailing his nose. His stomach grumbled, reminding him that he should have eaten half an hour ago. He spied Rathi in the kitchen, her hair pulled into a high bun made out of a braid, tendrils of dark hair escaping from it.  
  
"I heard there would be Oreos," Blurr called out as he hung his bag on the hooks behind the door. "There better be ice cream, too." He toed off his shoes into the messy pile by the door, dirty runners mingling with multiple pairs of dress flats all in different colors.  
  
"You'll just have to see," Rathi replied with a bit of song to her voice. "Go wash your hands and sit. Dinner's almost ready."  
  
Blurr chuckled. "I feel spoiled."  
  
"You should."  
  
Blurr ducked into the bathroom and obeyed. By the time he emerged, Rathi was indeed dishing out plates at the small table she had tucked into the corner of the area she'd arranged as her living space. The bed was up on the loft, next to massive windows which overlooked the farmlands on the other side of the complex.  
  
Blurr had spent many nights on those silk sheets. Rathi's bed was memory foam and obscene in its comfort.  
  
"What? No candle? What kind of date is this?" Blurr asked as he dropped down into his chair, pushing his hair off his forehead. "I hope you don't expect me to put out."  
  
"I will dump this pan on your head," Rathi warned. She set it on the table between them, for Blurr's inevitable second and third helpings. "What do you want to drink?"  
  
"Whatever you're having. I'm not picky." Blurr didn't wait. Because he was a heathen, he started to dig in while Rathi fetched them something to drink. "I'll do dishes. Promise," he added around a mouthful of curry, resisting the urge to moan with delight.  
  
"I know you will." Rathi set a bottle of beer in front of him, cap expertly twisted off. She sat in the chair across from him with her own bottle. "So. What's the news?"  
  
Blurr swallowed. "Uh. Coach said national scouts are going to be at the semi-finals. She wants me to show 'em what I got. Apparently, she thinks I have a chance at scoring a slot on the team."  
  
"That's great." Rathi twisted off the cap of her beer and took a swig. "What else?"  
  
Blurr squinted at her. "I got offered a job at the Avian Studies department if I want it. So at least I have a possible plan if I don't get scouted."  
  
"Uh huh." Rathi picked at the label on her beer, idly stirring her curry. "And?"  
  
Blurr put down his fork. "Why do I get the feeling you already know and are only asking to make me squirm?"  
  
"TJ didn't give me details. He just said you had something important to tell me, and I should get it out of you as soon as possible."  
  
TJ would do that, the calculating brat. Blurr sighed and rubbed his forehead, feeling the weight of Rathi’s gaze on him. Other than the ceiling fan lazily turning above them, the apartment was quiet, and it was unnerving. He felt like the center of attention, for all that Rathi was the only other individual in the room.  
  
“I do have something to tell you,” Blurr admitted as he stared at his plate, heat crawling into his cheeks, and discomfort squirming in his belly. He rested his hands on the table, surprised to find them trembling. “And I was going to tell you eventually, I was just waiting for the right time, which is apparently right now.”  
  
He stopped. The words got stuck in his throat. He wasn’t sure why this was so hard. He trusted Rathi as much as he trusted TJ, but the fear lingered. The worry that she’d think him some kind of weird freak and kick him out of her apartment.  
  
He knew she wasn’t that kind of person, but he supposed that was why it was an irrational fear.  
  
“Dae.” Rathi’s voice was warm and gentle, like the first time he’d wound up at her place after Josiah showed up at his workplace, and Blurr hadn’t wanted to go home. “Whatever it is, you know I’m in your corner, right? I always have been.”  
  
Blurr offered her a smile. “Yeah, I know.” He drew in a deep breath, took a long swig of his beer, and wiped the back of his hand over his mouth. “So. I’m dating Starscream,” he said. “And I mean literally dating. We go out together, and he lives in my dorm half the time, and we kiss and… uh…”  
  
“Have some approximation of sex, I presume,” Rathi finished for him as he trailed off. She braced one elbow on the table and planted her chin on the heel of her palm. “Tell me something I don’t know.”  
  
Damn it.  
  
“How could you know?” Blurr demanded. He squinted at her. “Did TJ tell you?”  
  
“He didn’t, and he’d be offended if he knew you thought he’d betray your confidence.” Rathi snorted and gave Blurr a pointed look. “Honestly, it was pretty obvious to anyone who knows you.”  
  
Blurr’s ears felt hot, and he knew if he looked in the mirror, they’d be glowing a fiery red back at him. He could feel the flush all the way down his neck. “And you’re not bothered by it?”  
  
“Why would I be?” Rathi grabbed her fork and started to dig into her curry with gusto, talking with her mouth full even, like she’d never been taught any manners, though Blurr knew that couldn’t be further from the truth. “Starscream’s awesome. You’re lucky to have him.” She paused and pursed her lips. “Kind of sorry I didn’t get to snatch him first.”  
  
Blurr snorted and started to eat as well. At least the pause gave sufficient time for his food to cool down, in temperature but not in flavor. Rathi had made it as spicy as ever, and it made Blurr’s tongue tingle.  
  
“I see where I rank then,” he grumbled.  
  
Rathi playfully kicked him under the table. “Don’t pout. I don’t care how becoming it is on you.” She tilted her head, tucking a few stray hairs behind her ear. “Seriously, Blurr. I’m happy for you. He makes you happy, he’s obviously head over heels for you, and that’s all I want for you.”  
  
Blurr scooped up a hefty mouthful of curry. “I half-expected you to tell me I’m making a mistake?”  
  
“You think I’m that judgmental?”  
  
“I think you’re someone who is very rational and looks at the realistic side of things,” Blurr corrected. He took a swig of the beer, felt the alcohol settle warm and bubbly in his belly. “I thought you might think of this as a bad idea.”  
  
“Hmm.” Rathi tapped one finger against her cheek, expertly manicured nails twinkling in the dim light. “What does Starscream think about it?”  
  
Blurr blinked. “What?”  
  
“Dae, seriously?” Rathi sighed and scrubbed her forehead with two fingers. “Have you even talked to Starscream about your future? About what the two of you want?”  
  
Blurr stared at her.  
  
“Boys. This is why they’re no good for me.” Rathi gave him a wry grin and took a heavy swig of her beer. A finishing one, apparently, as she stood up, wriggling the empty bottle at him. “I’m getting another. Need one?”  
  
Blurr opened his mouth to answer but Rathi shook her head and swung out from behind the table. “Never mind. I’m getting another one. It’s going to be a long night.”  
  
Blurr shoved more curry into his mouth rather than argue. He’d learned the hard way that it was impossible to win a discussion with Rathi. She’d been the captain of her high school debate team for a reason.  
  
Champions two years running, as she told it.  
  
“Listen, realistically, it doesn’t make sense. He’s a harpy, you’re a human. You’re trying to become an international track star, and he’s… got whatever plans he has,” Rathi said as she pulled open the fridge and rooted around in it. “But also, you guys have to talk about it. Figure out what you want from each other and this relationship. Compromise. I know you know what that means.”  
  
She bumped the fridge shut with her hip and came back, distributing the beers. She paused near Blurr’s chair, however, sliding in for a sidearm hug.  
  
“It’s what happened to us, remember?” she said.  
  
Blurr leaned in against her shoulder, inhaling the scent of her soap and curry and whatever she put in her hair. “I remember you dragging me into that conversation kicking and screaming.”  
  
“Yes, I do, too.” She sighed, and it was the sigh of someone who couldn’t decide if the memory was a fond one, or one that should be forgotten. “But it had to be done. We wanted different things, and we made that clear.”  
  
Rathi pressed a kiss to his forehead before extricating herself from his arms and returning to her side of the table. “That’s how adults solve problems. They talk about it. And I think, as long as you and Starscream communicate and agree, then it’s realistic and rational. If you’re happy, who cares about the hows and whys? It’s no one’s business but yours.”  
  
Blurr snagged his half-finished beer, chugged it down, and reached for the fresh one. “I should have told you sooner.”  
  
“Clearly. You needed someone to smack you in the face.” Rathi snorted and gave him a wink before shoving a forkful of curry into her mouth. “Now eat your dinner before it gets cold. I didn’t go to all this trouble for you to waste it.”  
  
“I would eat it cold if I had to. I would never waste this,” Blurr declared, and quickly shoveled in two bites, well-remembering the promise of Oreos and vanilla ice cream to follow.  
  
He felt warm to his core now, and it wasn’t just the spiciness of the curry. It was the soft, indulgent smile Rathi gave him, the sincerity of her words, the support both she and TJ offered. It was a strange feeling, because Blurr was rather used to rejection.  
  
His parents, his family, had made rejection something of an art form. Acceptance was a foreign concept.  
  
He could get used to it.  
  
“Thanks, Rathi,” Blurr said.  
  
Rathi sighed and peered into the mouth of her bottle. “In another life, I would’ve married you, Dae. I guess I’ll just have to trust Starscream to look after you in my stead.” She grinned and tossed him a wink. “He’s a lucky bird.”  
  
 _I’m the one who’s lucky._  
  
“Don’t let him catch you calling him a bird,” Blurr said with a laugh.  
  
“I’ll keep that in mind.”  
  


***


	17. Chapter 17

Something sang merrily, yanking Blurr from a dream involving feathers, teeth, and Starscream curved over him, panting into his ear as he thrust hard against the back of Blurr's thighs.  
  
Blurr groaned and tried to pull a pillow over his head, but the pillow wouldn't move, and instead, it growled at him.  
  
"Turn off your damn alarm."  
  
That wasn't Starscream's voice. Blurr peeled his eyes open and rolled toward the annoying music, groping blindly for his cell phone. The flashing screen guided his hand, and he fumbled for the off button, finally dropping them into a blessed silence.  
  
His pillow growled again. "Get up and take a shower."  
  
The bed creaked as Rathi rolled away from him, taking the blankets with her. Morning person, she was not. That sunny personality didn't show up until at least nine a.m.  
  
Blurr sighed and dragged himself out of the comforting embrace of Rathi's expensive bed. She'd drawn the shades on the windows last night, but even so, Blurr could faintly make out the coming sunrise.  
  
He rubbed sleep from his eyes and stumbled to the bathroom. He had maybe three hours of sleep, at best. He should have known better than to stay up late drinking with Rathi. She could outdrink anyone, and Blurr was already a lightweight. But it felt good to kick back and relax, rather than sit around moping because he missed Starscream.  
  
He showered quickly, borrowing Rathi's shampoo and body wash because he didn't care if he smelled like sandalwood and amber, and tousled his hair into some sort of taming. It was getting too long. He needed a hair cut before he had to start investing in scrunchies.  
  
He emerged in a billow of steam and was immediately smacked in the face with the smell of coffee. Blurr's mouth watered. He shoved his dirty clothes into his bookbag and wandered into the kitchen, where Rathi leaned backward against a counter, cupping a coffee mug like it was her salvation.  
  
"You hit snooze on your alarm, not off," she growled at him, adding in a baleful look, her hair a frizzy mass of loose waves around her face. "I'm not supposed to be up for two more hours, but here I am."  
  
"But you made coffee, and that makes you the sweetest thing," Blurr said. He gave her a kiss on the forehead and pulled a mug from the cupboard. Everything was where he remembered it. "Any chance you made breakfast?"  
  
"There are frozen waffles."  
  
"Ooo. My favorite."  
  
Blurr dumped a healthy amount of creamer into his coffee, then pulled out the box of waffles from the freezer. He gave them a tentative sniff -- freezer burned all to hell -- and shrugged. They'd do. With enough syrup and powdered sugar anyway. He pulled out four and popped them into the toaster, seeking out toppings while they warmed up.  
  
"You owe me, Dae."  
  
He looked over his shoulder and quailed a little at the hot anger behind Rathi's tired-rimmed eyes. "I'm sorry?"  
  
"That's not good enough." Rathi slurped her coffee, and she drank it hot and black, enough to sear the tongue. Blurr didn't know how she did it. "Give me answers instead."  
  
Blurr groaned and knocked his forehead on the cupboard door. "You mean to the questions I wouldn't answer last night, no matter how much alcohol you fed me?"  
  
"Yep." Rathi popped the word and gave him a sharkish grin. "Details, baby. Details. Soothe my sleepiness with some fire."  
  
"I haven't had enough coffee or sugar for this," Blurr muttered as the toaster popped up four waffles, golden and crispy and somewhat soggy in the middle. He clattered them on a plate, slathered them with butter, sprinkled powdered sugar over that, then drenched them with maple syrup.  
  
Rathi trailed him to the dining table, and sat down across from him, still cupping her coffee. She stared at him over the rim of it, her eyebrows raised.  
  
Blurr scrubbed at his eyes. "Fine. What do you want to know?"  
  
"What it's like having sex with a harpy? How human are they? What's it like kissing him?" Rathi asked, and in that moment, she sounded a bit like Sari and Miko when they were in the middle of an interview.  
  
"One question at a time, Primus." Blurr shoveled half a waffle into his mouth, letting the time he spent chewing allow him to think. "Kissing him is normal, I guess. I mean, he's got the fangs so I gotta be careful, but other than that, it's just like kissing a human." Except for the really long tongue, but damn did Rathi not need to know that.  
  
She slurped noisily at her coffee. "Go on."  
  
"You're lucky there's waffles." Blurr sighed and tried not to squirm. He was an adult. He could talk about sex like an adult. "And we haven't had, you know, that kind of sex yet."  
  
Rathi arched one eyebrow at him. "That kind of sex?" she parroted. "Really, Blurr. Are we in middle school? Have you touched his dick or not?"  
  
He was never going to see Starscream again, because he was going to die of embarrassment right here in this chair. Or he was going to choke to death on a waffle. He should learn not to underestimate Rathi's tact, or lack thereof.  
  
Blurr dropped his fork and focused on his coffee, swallowing to soothe his throat and force that last bite of waffle down. "You're shameless."  
  
"This still comes as a surprise to you?" Rathi got up and moved to the coffeepot, topping off her mug. "Answer the question or I'll be forced to take back my generous offer of waffles."  
  
"It's called a clava, and yes, I've touched it," Blurr said with a sigh. "It's dick-shaped, but it looks different than a human's."  
  
"Proportional?"  
  
The tips of Blurr's ears turned red. "Yeah."  
  
Rathi whistled and came back to the chair, setting her cup down before pulling her hair into a haphazard, messy bun. "You brave pioneer." She grinned and looked a little dazed. "Is it as pretty as he is?"  
  
"... Yes."  
  
"I knew it!" Rathi crowed and slurped noisily at her coffee.  
  
Blurr stuffed a whole waffle into his mouth, without caring that syrup was dribbling over his chin and sticking to his cheek.  
  
"Still, that does mean he's a bit bigger than you. Maybe you should take the lead for a start," Rathi said. She tipped her head, drumming the fingers of one hand on the table. "He's got those talons, probably not much good for prepwork either." She sat up straight as if she'd gotten an idea. "Say, do you want to borrow my strap-on?"  
  
"Primus, Rathi!" Blurr almost choked on another bite of waffle.  
  
She watched him cough without a hint of shame on her face. At least she looked more alive with the coffee in her veins. "Is that a no?"  
  
"Wow, would you look at the time? I've gotta go, or I'm going to be late to class." Blurr stuffed the last bit of waffle into his mouth, washed it down with the rest of his coffee, and took both to the sink.  
  
Rathi laughed. "Coward."  
  
Blurr vanished into the bathroom to brush his teeth. He wasn't a coward. If he was, he'd have never invited Rathi to use the damn strap-on in the first place. But the idea of bringing it to Starscream made him turn hot all over, and he wasn't sure if it was embarrassment or delight. He didn't want to find out either.  
  
No, thank you.  
  
He came out of the bathroom, stowed his toothbrush, and turned to tell Rathi goodbye, only to come face to face with a tupperware dish.  
  
"If I make curry for your ungrateful ass, you better take the leftovers home," Rathi said.  
  
“Don’t have to tell me twice,” Blurr said, eagerly stashing the tupperware into his bag. It was going to be his dinner. “You’re the best.”  
  
“Yes, I am.”  
  
Blurr slung his backpack over his shoulder and slipped into his shoes. As near as he could tell, he was good to go, with a few minutes to spare, especially if he jogged. He didn’t get far before Rathi grabbed him and reeled him in for a hug.  
  
"Just be careful, idiot," she said as he wrapped her arms around him and squeezed. Blurr would never admit to squeaking. "If you guys keep doing what you're doing, or decide to try 'that kind of sex' just be prepared. Lots of lube. Condoms. Stretching. You know the drill."  
  
Blurr groaned and knocked his forehead against her shoulder. "Thank you for the lesson in anal sex, Rathi. It's like I've never done it before."  
  
"Don't be an ass. I happen to know you're very good at it." She winked and pressed a kiss to his forehead. "Now go to class so I can crawl back in bed for another hour."  
  
“I’m going.” Blurr pecked a kiss on her cheek and let himself out of her apartment, far more at ease than he’d felt in the past week or so.  
  
Rathi was right. He needed to talk to Starscream, and he needed to be prepared. He wasted his time by pushing important things aside. Instead of running himself in circles, he should pick a straightforward path.  
  
Blurr went to class, rushing to Nova Hall and sliding into a seat before he could be counted as late. He paid attention for once, took studious notes that would make Starscream proud, and then was out of his seat and out of the lecture hall before anyone else.  
  
It was Thursday.  
  
Starscream hadn’t returned yet, but it would be any day now and Sunday at the latest.  
  
Inevitable progression. Rathi’s words had reminded him of something important. Inevitable progression, and the preparation it would require.  
  
Blurr didn’t go straight home. Instead, he went to a drugstore located near campus but across the busy two-lane highway. Determination carried him inside with a firm set of his shoulders, snagging a basket from the stack near the door. He followed the signs to the appropriate aisles and…  
  
Inevitable progression.  
  
Blurr stood in the personal care aisle of the drug store, holding a box of condoms in each hand, and wondered if maybe…  _maybe_  he was in a little over his head. Did they even need condoms? Would this  _fit_? He tried to compare what he thought the size of the condom was, to the clava he’d measured with his hands, and his brain stalled.  
  
In his right hand, Blurr held his usual brand. It would fit his own dick, it was comfortable, and it was ribbed for pleasure. He didn’t know if the ribs would even matter, or if they would help with Starscream’s pleasure, but it was a brand he was comfortable with.  
  
He shrugged and tipped the box into his basket. If all else failed, he’d have enough for himself. Right?  
  
Right.  
  
What remained, however, was getting something for Starscream. Though part of Blurr quailed at the idea of letting that massive di-- clava – inside of him. Sure, he’d seen dildos that looked weirder, but he’d never used one of equal size.  
  
Would the extra-large even fit? Would the almost conical shape of the head tear the condom? Was Starscream allergic to latex? To spermicide?  
  
Blurr gnawed on his bottom lip.  
  
He glanced at the cashier, looking bored as she rifled through her magazine. She didn’t seem at all interested in his internal dilemma. She would be no help at all. Neither would Starscream, for that matter. It wasn’t like he had lots of experience with human things before Blurr came along.  
  
Lube!  
  
Blurr clutched the box of extra-large condoms, without putting them in his basket, and started searching the shelves again. At the very least, he could buy lube. Lots of lube. No way was that clava fitting inside of him without lube.  
  
Water-based? Oil-based? Double-pack? Single-pack? Too many options. Too many decisions. Why was this such a stressful experience?  
  
Choosing his sex accessories used to be a lot easier.  
  
Blurr glanced again toward the counter. The cashier ignored him. But the front door dinged, and a trio of laughing young women came inside, making a beeline for the cold and flu medicine the next aisle over. They hadn’t noticed him. Maybe they wouldn’t.  
  
Except that the feminine products were right behind him. What if they needed some tampons? Would it bother them to see him standing here, a box of extra-large condoms in his hand?  
  
Primus.  
  
He tossed the two-pack of lube into his basket – better price per volume – and hastily shoved the box of condoms in there, too. If he ended up with a box he couldn’t use, oh well. Maybe if he left them in the dorm lobby, someone else would snatch them up. That way they wouldn’t go to waste.  
  
The front door donged again. Blurr glanced over the short aisles to see one of his fellow teammates striding inside, heading straight toward the back with a purpose. Blurr ducked down so as not to be noticed, and then rolled his eyes at himself. This was a perfectly normal thing to be buying. It wasn’t like most of the team didn’t know he was gay – bi – whatever.  
  
Still, he felt like he had a blinking sign over his head. “Harpy-Lover Here! Buying condoms! Point and stare!”  
  
Argh.  
  
Blurr blindly shoved the condoms deeper into his basket and strode toward the checkout counter, quick as he could. He glanced down at his purchases and blanched.  
  
Condoms? Check. Two kinds? Check. Lube? Check.  
  
Anything else?  
  
Negative.  
  
He looked like he was about to have a very wild and crazy night.  
  
On impulse, Blurr swung into the next aisle over, only to nearly run smack dab into the three women who’d come in earlier. They looked up at him and giggled. One of them blushed and quickly whispered in her friend’s ear. They giggled again.  
  
Great.  
  
Blurr edged past them, spotted two boxes of strawberry poptarts, and shoved them into his basket. There. More normal, right?  
  
He spun on a heel and headed for the counter, tossing a few more random things into his basket as he passed. A pack of potato chips, a box of tissue, chapstick, and three chocolate bars. Starscream loved chocolate almost as much as he loved strawberries.  
  
The essentials were buried under his random selections. Blurr felt a little like an idiot, but he strode up to the counter as nonchalant as he possibly could.  
  
Georgia, the cashier, set aside her magazine and straightened. “Afternoon!” she greeted with much more cheer than Blurr would have expected. “Find everything okay?”  
  
“Uh, yeah. Thanks.” Blurr set the basket on the counter and wiped his sweaty palms on his thighs.  
  
“Glad to hear it.” She grinned and started unpacking his basket, tossing his items into a paper sack without so much as blinking at his purchases.  
  
The condoms, however, had to be dragged across a security sensor device, and one of them – the extra large of course – kept donging negatively. Georgia’s eyes narrowed as she dragged the box over the sensor again and again.  
  
“Sorry,” she said sheepishly. “This brand always gives me a hard time.”  
  
Blurr giggled before he could stop himself, his nervous tension speaking for him.  
  
Georgia’s face pinked and she laughed, too. “Wow, poor choice of words, huh?”  
  
“Or great choice,” Blurr replied.  
  
They chuckled in unison. Finally, the box gave a cheerful chime of agreement and into the bag it went. Sparkly painted fingers danced over the register keys, and the monitor offered up his total.  
  
Blurr swiped his card and breathed a sigh of relief when the transaction was approved without further issue. Georgia handed him his receipt and his bag, giving him another big smile full of bright, white teeth.  
  
“Have a good day! And thank you for your purchase.”  
  
Blurr did his best not to snatch the incriminating bag, all but bulging, the paper sack rattling. “Thanks,” he said, and scurried out the door before the trio of ladies or his teammate could catch him. He hastily shoved the sack into the bottom of his backpack, beneath his tupperware of curry, his face hot and red all over.  
  
He surged out the front door, and in his haste, nearly collided with someone lurking outside. He quickly sidestepped to avoid a collision, an apology spilling from his lips.  
  
“Sorry, I was distracted,” he said as he looked up at the stranger.  
  
Or not so stranger actually.  
  
“Blurr! What a coincidence!” Sari beamed at him, chameleon green streaks in her hair and jangling earrings making for a musical chime every time she moved her head. “Fancy running into you here. Is Starscream with you?”  
  
Blurr sighed. “He doesn’t go with me everywhere, you know. He has a life outside of this place.”  
  
“Yeah, but he seems to enjoy spending most of his time with you.” Sari waggled her eyebrows like he was supposed to understand what that meant.”  
  
“Most, but not all,” Blurr said. He pointedly looked around, not seeing Miko lurking in the shadows, or Richard peering through binoculars from far away. Not that he’d ever caught either of them doing that.  
  
Sari hummed in her throat. “Do you know when he’ll be back?”  
  
“Like I told Miko, sometime soon, I’d guess. I don’t own him.” Blurr adjusted the straps of his backpack. “Besides, I already agreed to one interview, isn’t that enough?”  
  
Sari snapped her fingers with delight. “You’re right! Thank you for that, by the way. You have no idea how much it means for us, and how much it’s going to help human-harpy relations.”  
  
“You’re welcome.” Blurr glanced around them again, but no more members of HARP were waiting to pop out of the shadows apparently. He wanted lunch and there two footlongs sitting in his fridge. “Anyway…”  
  
Sari laughed. “Anyway, I’ll let you go. I’m sure you’ve got a lot of work to do, probably preparing for Starscream to come back, am I right?” She winked at him, and Blurr had a feeling she was trying to hint at something.  
  
Blurr squinted at her. "What kind of preparations do you think I need?"  
  
"How should I know? Maybe he's got a special diet." Sari giggled and tossed him a wink. "Anyway, I've got to go. I'm supposed to be meeting Miko for lunch, and she gets cranky when she's hungry. Toodles!"  
  
Sari wriggled her fingers at him in farewell and flounced away, humming under her breath. As she did so, she pulled out her cell phone and started to dial, no doubt to call Miko.  
  
Blurr sighed. He rubbed his temple. He didn't, for one second, think anything about that meeting was innocent. Sari and Miko were too smart, too insightful, for their own good.  
  
Preparations though.  
  
Blurr thought about his recent drugstore purchases, shoved to the bottom of his bag. She was right about preparations. Inevitable progressions and preparations.  
  
He shouldered his bag and went home. There were two footlongs calling his name, and it would be rude to decline their offer.  
  


***

 


	18. Chapter 18

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This may or may not be the chapter some of you have been waiting for. ;)

Blurr was trapped. Trapped by his own decisions. Trapped by the women who had decided he and Starscream were their favorite story.

Trapped by the cafeteria pizza -- soggy dough and thin sauce and tasteless pepperoni. But Blurr was on a stricter budget, because maybe he was spoiling his harpy too much with cinnamon rolls and maybe he overspent on delivery because they didn't want to leave the dorm when they could spend more time in the bed, kissing and frotting like there was no tomorrow.

Maybe, Blurr was a little broke.

Blurr ate his cafeteria pizza, down to the last cardboard bite, because he was hungry and it was food, and he'd learned not to be too picky. He dumped the greasy paper plate into the trash, wiped his hands on a napkin, tossed it in, too.

He left the Student Union on a sunny Saturday around noon, with the chatter of two lively women like buzzing bees in each ear. They'd waylaid him after morning practice, and they hadn't been dissuaded by him insisting on eating lunch. Now they walked on either side of him, talking around him, and Blurr started tuning them out.

If he was scanning the sky every few minutes, well, that was his business.

"We're still hoping Starscream will ask others if they are interested in an interview," Sari was saying, and Blurr had the feeling it was meant to be directed at him, but she didn't seem to be looking at him for a response. "We have the transcripts from when Perceptor and Drift first came here, but a lot's changed since then."

"Starscream's still our favorite though, don't worry," Miko said with a pat to Blurr's shoulder. "We just want to get some different perspectives."

“Everyone’s got a story to tell,” Sari said.

Miko fiddled with her camera. "Perceptor seems nice. Drift, too. But Starscream feels far more approachable and interested in establishing contact."

"Doesn't hurt that he's so handsome," Sari added. "Articulate, too. Makes for riveting news."

Miko reached around Blurr and gave Sari a poke in the side, causing her to squirm away, giggling. Ticklish, apparently. "Excuse me?"

"There's nothing wrong with admiring the landscape," Sari protested with a laugh. "Besides, you know my heart is all yours, angel. I just like to appreciate the art." She waggled her eyebrows.

Blurr sighed. He eyed the sidewalk and considered making a run for it. They wouldn't give chase, but the guilt would eat him alive.

"And Starscream is a work of art," Miko said with a dreamy exhale. "Oh, but don't worry, Blurr. We know he's yours."

Blurr blinked. "What?"

Sari was typing furiously in her phone all of a sudden, but she nodded without looking up. "We're not interested in encroaching on claimed territory. And we definitely don't stand in the way of true love. Though damn if we aren't tempted."

"Damn straight," Miko agreed.

Sari looked at her girlfriend. "For once, right?"

They broke into peals of laughter, and Blurr would be the first to admit he was absolutely lost. He'd missed the thread of the conversation miles back, and he didn't think he could find it again.

A shadow passed by overhead.

Blurr's spine tingled with awareness. He looked up as a very familiar shape suddenly dropped down in front of him, causing all three of them to stop walking.

"Afternoon!" Starscream purred, all but grinning ear to ear.

He looked, plainly put, gorgeous. His feathers were fresh and bright, glowing with color. They were sleek and pretty and Blurr really, really wanted to touch him. Like. Right now.

"Been gone for a week, and you greet me with 'afternoon'?" Blurr asked as he crossed his arms just to keep himself from pulling Starscream into them.

Starscream's grin only got brighter. More sly if Blurr had to say. "Depends," he purred, stepping closer, the scent of fruit and flowers wafting out from him.

"On what?"

"On whether or not you're busy." Starscream leaned forward, bouncing on his taloned heels. He clasped his hands behind his back, feathers fluttering in the breeze.

"He's not!" Miko said as she grabbed Blurr's left arm and shoved him toward Starscream. "And he's been missing you like crazy."

"Seriously," Sari agreed as Blurr glared at both of them. "He's been so moody. You should fix that."

Starscream stared at them, but at least it was with amusement, if Blurr had to guess by the curve of his lips.

“I have not!” Blurr hissed, yanking free of Miko’s grip. “Please tell me you have somewhere you want us to go.” Because he wanted away from the two ladies right now.

“Of course I do,” Starscream purred and lunged, sweeping Blurr up into his arms so that Blurr had to throw his arms over Starscream’s shoulders out of sheer self-defense. “Hold on!”

“Hold on? Why?”

His heart dropped into his stomach, and his stomach into his toes, as one powerful leap upward and beat of his wings launched Starscream into the air, Blurr attached to his front like a baby chimp. He distantly heard Miko and Sari shouting after him, but their words were caught by the wind and lost.

“Starscream!!”

Was that a squeak? Had he just squeaked? That was definitely a squeak. Goddamn it!

“What are you doing?” Blurr demanded, trying not to squeak. Again.

He tightened his grip, hoping to Primus he wasn't strangling Starscream. His legs clamped tight around the harpy's waist, ankles locking in a desperate attempt to hold on.

“Oh, god. Oh, fuck. I don't want to die. Please don't drop me. Fuck, fuck, fuck.”

He squeezed his eyes shut. He wished he could enjoy the wind buffeting his hair and tugging at his clothes. He wished he dared look down to see the landscape whooshing by. But all he could imagine was falling to his doom and that made him clutch all the tighter.

Starscream laughed. Blurr felt the vibrations against his chest.

“Such language!” he shouted, loud enough to be heard over the roar of the wind. “Honestly, Blurr. Don't you trust me at all?”

“I would! If you’d give me time to get a proper grip!” Blurr snarled in return. He buried his face in Starscream's chest, against the softer feathers, and prayed to the gods. All of them. Every religion he knew.

The rumble of laughter echoed in Starscream's chest.

“I would never drop you,” he said. “I swear.”

Blurr believed him, but that didn’t stop his belly from lurching as Starscream banked to the left and took them even higher. He heard something over the rush of the wind, a loud roaring noise. Blurr wasn't sure what it could be, but then Starscream abruptly dropped.

Blurr snarled a curse, dug his fingers into Starscream's feathers, and held on.

Starscream slowed, stalled and then, with a mind-spinning thump, landed on solid ground. Or least, Blurr hoped so. He could no longer feel the motions of flapping in Starscream's bod. A large harpy wing-arm curled around his body and cupped his hips.

“See?” Starscream asked as Blurr's head stopped spinning and other noise filtered through the frantic beat of his heart. “I didn't drop you.”

Blurr lifted his head, his nose twitching at an odd, but not unpleasant, damp odor and that strange roaring sound. Wherever they were, they were surrounded by lush greenery and bright flowers. There was moving water, too. A river? Was that sound the waterfall?

Blurr unlocked his legs from Starscream's waist as Starscream set him down on solid ground. His dignity thoroughly rumpled, Blurr patted at his clothing, intending to deny-deny-deny, if Starscream teased him about screaming.

“Where are we?” Blurr asked as he turned away from Starscream and looked around.

It was warm, too. Warmer than he would have expected. Enough that he felt he ought to strip off his light jacket. The wind was strong, and it kept buffeting his body.

“Above the Glass Falls,” Starscream said, sounding smug. “I seem to remember you saying you wanted to come here.”

“Well, yeah, but… not out of nowhere,” Blurr said. He spun back toward the harpy. “You've got to give me more warning.”

Starscream gave him a long look. “If I had, you would have said yes?”

“I wouldn't have said no.” Blurr rolled his eyes and swept a hand through his hair, his very tangled and messy hair now. Ow. “Or is not asking like a harpy thing?”

Starscream folded his arms and frowned, looking away. Petulant to the core. “It's supposed to be romantic.”

“Romantic,” Blurr repeated, and he felt his face flush. He scratched at his chin. “Oh. Well, maybe it’s romantic for Harpies, but for a human, it’s kind of… not? So yeah, a warning please. So I can get into the proper mood? I mean, you’ve been gone for a week and then you show up out of nowhere, looking gorgeous, yeah, but still.”

“You don’t like it?”

Blurr shook his head and his hands. “I didn’t say that. I just mean that, you know...” He trailed off and sighed. “Never mind. Thank you for the romance.” He managed a smile, if only to keep from babbling like an idiot.

He hadn’t realized how much he’d been missing Starscream until the harpy stood in front of him, gleaming like new.

Starscream huffed, his plumage lifting like an offended cat. “Fine.” He dropped his arms, stalking toward Blurr. He held out a hand. “Come on.”

Blurr blinked. “What?”

“I'm taking you back,” Starscream snapped, though there was little heat behind it. He sounded more frustrated with himself. “I didn't think this through apparently. I'm sorry.”

Blurr worked his jaw. Starscream's moods could be as changeable as a damn light bulb sometimes. Anyone who accused the Harpies of being animals had obviously never had a conversation with Starscream.

“No.”

It was Starscream's turn to blink. “No?” His frown deepened. “Look. I get it. I did something wrong, again, no surprise there. I'm just trying to make up for it.”

Blurr closed the distance between them, sliding his fingers around Starscream’s wrist rather than grabbing his fingers -- he’d learned his lesson on that front. “Hey,” he murmured, gentling his voice. “I’m sorry. I didn’t realize you were trying to be romantic. I was just startled. I missed you. Really.”

Starscream looked at the ground, like a guilty dog, before he gnawed on his bottom lip. “I’ll take you back.”

“I don’t want to go back, you big galoot.” Blurr slid in closer, curving an arm around Starscream’s waist, inhaling the fresh-feather scent of him. “Come on. Give me a hug. I missed you.”

Feathery arms enfolded him, and Blurr sighed with relief, the tension in his shoulders melting away at last. Only a week, but it felt like longer. Starscream was back, and whatever had been missing, returned with Starscream.

“I missed you as well,” Starscream replied, voice warm and tender, his chin rubbing over the top of Blurr’s head. “I apologize for startling you.”

Blurr rubbed his face against Starscream’s chest. “I’ll laugh about it later.”

“I hope.” Starscream rubbed his hand up and down Blurr’s back before he pulled away, enough to place a knuckle under Blurr’s head and tilt it up. “May I kiss you?”

“You’d better,” Blurr said, and rose up on his tiptoes as Starscream leaned down to meet him, their lips coming together in a soft and sweet kiss, that set something inside of Blurr to aching.

Starscream tasted sweet, like fresh strawberries. Blurr moaned into the kiss, pressing harder against Starscream, need throbbing through him on the wave of longing. He’d missed touching Starscream and being touched by him. He missed this simple intimacy.

Starscream pressed him closer, enveloping Blurr, and Blurr shivered. He clutched onto Starscream, wishing he were taller. Kissing was so difficult for them when standing. Doing anything while standing was an exercise in contortion. Starscream’s chest rumbled, and the heat of him surrounded Blurr.

He sucked on Blurr’s tongue, and Blurr moaned into Starscream’s mouth, heat pooling southward, gathering in his groin. He went from soft to hard in a flash, rocking toward Starscream in hopes for something a little more substantial.

Starscream hummed and broke away from the kiss, his lips leaving a pattern of softness over the curve of Blurr's jaw before he nibbled on Blurr's ear and traced it with the tip of his tongue. Blurr shuddered, his free hand grabbing at Starscream's elbow, holding on to it.

His dick throbbed harder.

“I'm, um, I'm getting the feeling I know what you meant by romantic,” Blurr stammered as Starscream's kneading against his lower back grew harder.

Starscream's knuckle caressed his throat, the softer feathers tickling his skin. “Do you object?”

Blurr licked his lips. “No,” he replied, and surprised himself with his honest, kneejerk reaction. Inevitable progression. He just wished he had the paper sack of supplies currently stuffed in his bottom dresser drawer. “I’m ready, I think. It’s a big step.”

Sure they’d kissed and frotted and groped each other and Blurr had given Starscream a hand job, but this was different. Whatever this was. He still wasn’t sure what Starscream wanted, except the idea of taking Starscream’s clava into himself made him squirm. He needed those supplies.

“You want me to stop?”

Blurr hummed and carded his fingers through the feathers on Starscream’s chest. “My dick sure doesn't.”

“Your dick, as you call it, doesn't do the thinking for you,” Starscream replied, amused. “Unless my knowledge of human anatomy is wrong and that's where your brain is.”

Blurr laughed. “For some of us, it is.” He gave Starscream a wicked grin.

“Then that is something humans and Harpies share.” Starscream carded his fingers through Blurr’s hair, tucking it back into place where the wind had tousled it. “Still doesn’t answer my question. Do you want to do this?”

Blurr rested his head on Starscream’s chest, listening to his core beat. It was calming, like this, pressed chest to chest, heat to heat. “Always.”

“You know I meant more than what we’ve been doing.” Starscream petted his back, long, lingering strokes all the way down to his ass again, and Blurr hummed, rocking into it. “Perhaps I should show you.”

“Show me? Now that sounds interesting.” Blurr licked his lips and looked up, his heart picking up a faster rhythm. “What do you have in mind?”

“A taste I haven’t had yet,” Starscream purred, and he lowered himself to his knees, which still put his face about belly-height.

Oh, Primus.

Blurr's breath caught in his throat. His dick throbbed harder, pressing against the confines of his jeans and damn it, why did he choose today to go without underwear? He thought of the length of Starscream’s tongue, the slight roughness to it, and then he thought how that might feel on his dick.

Need roared through him so fast his knees almost buckled.

“Does that, um, does that mean what I think it means?”

Starscream rested his hands on Blurr’s hips, and Blurr’s heart beat faster. Starscream nuzzled Blurr's groin as he looked up at Blurr, his lips curved into a devilish grin. .

“Do you enjoy oral pleasure?” he asked.

Blurr's hands curled into fists. “Don't tease me.”

Starscream chuckled and scrubbed his cheek against Blurr’s jean-covered dick. Blurr groaned, sucking on his bottom lip, fingernails digging into his palms so he didn’t grab Starscream and rut against his face like an animal.

“I don’t intend to. But I think I'll need your assistance with the zipper.” Starscream gave narrow-eyed look at Blurr's jeans. “I haven’t mastered them yet.”

Yeah. He was totally doing this.

Blurr's knees wobbled. He fumbled at his belt, undoing button and zipper in a snap, his jeans sagging around his hips. His dick popped free, swollen and red, nearly bopping Starscream on the nose. The wind ghosted over it, cold, but then Starscream was there, breathing hotly over it, and Blurr shivered for an entirely different reason.

“Hmm.” Starscream eyed Blurr's dick like it was one of his scientific hypotheses. “There are differences, but not so many.”

Blurr palmed his face. “Oh, god, Starscream. If you are going to sit here and examine me like a science project, I’m going to turn around and take care of this myself.”

“That would be interesting to watch. Besides, aren’t you guilty of doing the same to me?” The tip of Starscream’s tongue flicked against the head of Blurr's dick.

His hips jerked, and he drew air through his teeth.

Okay. Not teasing after all.

“Hm.” Starscream pulled his tongue back into his mouth, tilting his head as though considering the taste. “Salty.”

Blurr's face burned. He hid behind his palms. His dick, however, had no embarrassment and continued to throb.

“Please tell me you're not going to narrate this,” Blurr groaned.

Starscream chuckled, and his tongue wrapped wet and warm around the head of Blurr’s dick. He peeked through his fingers, watching Starscream suck him into his mouth, mindful of his pointed canines. Starscream looked focused, his tongue flicking against the rounded head before he pulled Blurr deeper.

Holy fuck.

Blurr groaned and struggled not to thrust. His dick throbbed.

“Please don't stop,” he begged.

Starscream pulled off his dick with a pop. “Wasn't planning on it.” He looked up at Blurr with a wink before he sucked Blurr’s dick into his mouth, right down to the root, as if he didn’t have a gag reflex.

Blurr curved forward on auto-pilot, his cock surrounded by wet heat. Starscream slurped at him like he was a lollipop, and his throat just swallowed Blurr all the way down. Blurr's hands clawed at the air before he settled on gripping Starscream's shoulders.

He rocked his hips, barely thrusting, and Starscream made a moaning sound in his throat, the vibrations amping the pleasure. His grip on Blurr's hips tightened and he pushed and pulled on Blurr, encouraging him to move however he wanted.

Blurr gnawed on his cheek and moaned something that might have been a curse or Starscream's name, or both. Liquid heat poured through his body, straight into his groin. His dick throbbed steadily and pulsed, leaking down Starscream's throat.

But all Starscream did was purr and flex his throat around Blurr's dick. He gritted his teeth and tried to hold back, even as he felt the need rushing up from his toes.

“Starscream, I'm gonna… if you keep doing that...” Blurr bit off into another groan.

Starscream sucked harder, his tongue working absolute magic, and any restraint Blurr might have had, crumbled under Starscream's efforts. He came, spilling in hot, heavy pulses down Starscream’s throat.

Starscream caressed him through the tremors. He drew back with a pleased noise, pressing a kiss to the tip of Blurr's dick before he pulled off and licked his lips.

“Oh, man. Oh, god. Oh, man.”

Blurr sagged to his knees, panting. His heart beat a mile a minute. He had no strength in his lower half.

“Where did you learn to do that?” Blurr gasped as Starscream nuzzled his face, like a satisfied cat.

Starscream chuckled. “That was nothing special.” He dragged his mouth to Blurr’s for a kiss, tongue plunging inside.

He tasted himself on Starscream's tongue. Blurr shivered as Starscream tugged him forward, into Starscream’s lap, his bare dick rubbing against Starscream’s feathers. He rocked against them, heat coiling in his belly at the soft caresses.

“Was special to me,” Blurr said against Starscream’s lips. He gathered up his courage, because he wasn’t a coward, and he said, “Gonna let me return the favor?” It was only fair.

Starscream licked his lips, his hands tightening on Blurr's waist. “Only if you want to, not because you feel you have to. I would enjoy any touch from you.”

Blurr grinned. “Putting the ball in my court, hm?” It couldn’t be that bad. He’d had his hands all over Starscream’s dick. If he could kiss Starscream, the least he could do was give Starscream’s clava a lick or two.

“Okay.” Blurr gave a pat to Starscream's shoulders. “Lay back then. I mean, if you don’t mind? Since it’s grass and all and not, you know, a bed.”

Starscream's feathers rose up, including the ones on his crest. “It'll be fine,” he said, and pecked Blurr's lips in a quick kiss before he let Blurr slide from his lap.

Blurr, feeling a little awkward, tucked himself back into his jeans, rather than stand bare-assed on top of the mountain. He watched Starscream makes himself comfortable, his crimson feathers a stark contrast to the bed of grass beneath. His talons twitched as he pushed his feet against the ground, digging into the vegetation. It was cute, the way his talons extended and retracted, like a cat kneading a blanket.

Blurr eased his way between Starscream's thighs, hands skimming over his fresh, new feathers. Starscream’s face had brightened in color, turning a softer pink. He looked everywhere and nowhere, and there was a tremor in his legs, beneath Blurr’s hands.

“You're not nervous, are you?” he asked.

Starscream scoffed. “Of course not,” he said, but his claws started kneading the grass, digging up furrows in it.

Blurr rested his hands on Starscream's knees, tickling at the lightly feathered undersides and causing Starscream to giggle – yes, giggle.

“Oh, really?” he asked and smirked as he tickled a little more.

Starscream's smile widened, turning genuine. “That is not arousing me, Blurr!”

“No, but it's relaxing you.” Blurr's heart absolutely did not skip a beat at the sight of Starscream's smile. “Come on. You had your mouth all over my dick. And I’ve had my hands all over yours. You think I’m going to run away now?”

And just like that, Starscream tensed all over again. Crap.

Blurr sighed and draped himself over Starscream, crawling up to Starscream's face so he could indulge in another one of those delicious kisses. Starscream immediately wrapped his arms around Blurr, deepening the kiss. Starscream was such an interesting mix of angles and softness, and his feathers tickled where they brushed against Blurr's skin.

Blurr pressed their foreheads together. “Unless you don't want me to, I really wanna try doing this, okay? Can't promise I'm going to be able to… do what you did, but I do wanna touch you. Deal?”

“Deal,” Starscream breathed. He loosened his hold, letting Blurr shimmy back down.

He knelt between Starscream's thighs and skimmed his palms over Starscream's groin where he could see… nothing. Nothing but a softer coating of feathers that were smaller, more fluffier. His skin looked darker beneath them, but as far as Blurr could tell, he wasn't packing anything.

There was a darker area that looked a little damp, but for the most part, nothing that stood out.

Last time, Starscream had already been hard and visible when Blurr got his fingers on Starscream’s clava. He’d wondered, even then, how Starscream had been hiding it. Now was his chance to find out.

Blurr skimmed his palms lower, exploring the softer feathers with his finger tips until he found a depression of some kind. He knew he'd hit the jackpot when Starscream shivered and rolled his hips up toward Blurr's fingers.

So Blurr rubbed a little harder, still gentle, but hard enough to get another reaction from Starscream. His fingers pushed against that depression, parting the downy feathers to rub on a little slit in Starscream's groin. It was probably as long as his forefinger and gave when he touched it.

Blurr's fingers rubbed a little deeper and encountered… something in the slit. Which was weird. Especially when it pushed back and out and… hmm. There it was. His clava.

“So that’s how you hide it,” Blurr said as Starscream’s clava started to emerge, poking free of the slit, glossy with some kind of slick.

Starscream exhaled loudly. “Yes. When not in rut, my clava is stored within the sheath. I do not have… balls.”

Blurr snickered and curled his fingers around the thickening heat of Starscream’s clava. This, at least, was familiar. He thumbed over the tip, gathering up the slick fluid, so much slicker than precome.

Last time, he’d been much more distant, less exploratory. Now he wondered…

Blurr rubbed the slick between his fingers and sniffed it. Huh. Sweet. Like fruit juice or fresh cut berries.

Weird.

Not unpleasant, just weird. He was too used to the salty-brackish smell and taste of semen. Sweet-fruity was a definite improvement.

Blurr rubbed at the tip again, just like he would his own, and a low sound rose in Starscream’s throat. He threw his forearm over his face, hiding behind a curtain of feathers, though a few parted to let Blurr see Starscream biting on his bottom lip, pointed canine peeking through.

Blurr's stomach did a little flip. Starscream was sexy like this, all hitched breath and shivering and hips twitching as Blurr started to stroke his dick and squeeze the tip. More of that sweet-swelling precome beaded up.

Starscream gasped and made a mewling sound, his back arching, his talons kneading at the ground. His clava throbbed, dampening Blurr’s hand with pre-come.

“You want to get off like this?” Blurr asked as he stroked Starscream a little harder, giving him a squeeze and a twist.

Starscream’s back arched. He chomped harder on his bottom lip, muffling a cry behind his arm.

“If-- if that’s what you want,” Starscream moaned, his feet scraping hard at the grass. His free hand dug into the dirt, talons leaving deeper furrows behind.

“I’m more interested in what you want,” Blurr said, and steeled himself.

He leaned over Starscream's dick and breathed hotly. It twitched in his hand. The sweet smell floated to his nose so he assumed it tasted sweet, too.

He could do this, right?

Right.

He bent down and lapped at the tip of Starscream's dick, the precome sticking to his tongue as he tasted it. Sticky. Sweet. Like honeysuckle or something. It actually wasn't bad.

_Riiiiip!_

Blurr blinked and glanced to his right. A huge swath of grass had been torn from the ground and was now hanging from Starscream's talons. He sort of clenched a fist around it even as he gave a long sigh.

“Blurr,” Starscream gritted out, his face still hidden. “I understand that you want to explore, but seriously, this is torture.”

Blurr grinned despite himself. “Serves you right, all the times you tease me.” He snorted and lowered his head again, taking the head of Starscream's dick into his mouth.

The muffled near-shriek Starscream gave him in return was totally worth it. And really, this was not much different than a human cock. Starscream’s clava was smooth and soft and warm. The occasional ridge felt weird on his tongue, but nothing he couldn’t get used to. Starscream’s clava pulsed and throbbed just like a cock, but the precome was sweet and sticky, like syrup.

Mmm. He could get used to this. It was an improvement, in his humble opinion.

He swallowed Starscream deeper, inch by inch, until he went too far because the head of his dick nudged the back of his throat. Blurr wasn't a harpy. He couldn't take Starscream all the way. But he could fit in a good three-quarters, so he focused on licking and sucking on that portion and stroking the rest with his fingers.

Starscream finally started to move, but in little increments, pushing up toward his mouth. More noises pulled from his throat, little warbling noises that didn't sound at all human but were still very, very sexy. That knot in Blurr's stomach tightened again, and he felt his own dick starting to thicken.

Holy shit, he was actually getting off on sucking Starscream's dick. Which honestly, shouldn’t come as a surprise. Blurr actually loved sucking dick. Always had. Oral sex was one of his favorite things. He loved having a man beneath him, begging for it, loved the feel of a dick on his tongue, especially when it belonged to someone he cared about.

Like Starscream.

He wanted Starscream to come in his mouth. He wondered what Starscream tasted like. As sweet as his pre-come maybe?

Blurr chuckled around the dick in his mouth. He'd bet the Avian Studies majors would be so jealous right now. They'd kill to have this kind of data. So would Miko and Sari come to think of it. He could just now hear their excited squeals.

Thought for another time. He had to focus.

It wasn’t an issue. He sucked on Starscream, and precome trickled over his tongue and down his throat. Starscream rocked, faster and faster, his clava thickening and throbbing on Blurr’s tongue. The rhythm was erratic, but growing in pace, and Starscream clawed at the grass, tearing up thick patches of it. He made all these sounds, like hungry ones, occasionally breathing Blurr’s name.

Primus.

Blurr doubled down. The sweet smell grew stronger. Blurr couldn’t figure out why until he happened to look down. The feathers at the base of Starscream’s dick were fully wet now, and not just with spit. Some had flicked aside, revealing a dark, shadowy opening.

An opening. Like a vagina…? A bird vagina? A birgina?

Wait.

Wait a goddamn minute.

Blurr blinked, and Starscream's dick slipped from his mouth. “Why do you have a birgina?”

It took several long moments of fruitless thrusting into the air before Starscream seemed to realize Blurr stopped. His arm slid off his forehead. “What?”

“Aren't you a dude?” Blurr shifted his weight so he could stroke a finger over the dewy wetness beneath Starscream's dick. “Why do you have an... opening here?” It certainly wasn’t an asshole.

Warm flesh quivered. Starscream drew in a sharp breath, and his head hit the grass.

“Harpies are different. We all have the same equipment,” Starscream gritted out, his voice on the edge of frustration. “I believe I've told you that.”

“Yeah, but hearing it is one thing.” Blurr returned his attention to Starscream's opening and traced it with his fingertip. There was a little nubbin near the top, like a woman's clit, and when he touched it, Starscream's hips bucked.

Maybe it was a clit.

“Seeing your birgina is another story. How was I supposed to know?” No wonder Starscream had been uneasy about this. He’d never told Blurr about his birgina!

Something knocked against his back. A foot? Had Starscream kicked him?

“It's called an antrum,” Starscream said, testily.

Antrum. Clava. He needed to start keeping a dictionary.

“Okay, okay.” Blurr paused and traced the rim again, the tip of his finger coming back to nub that was maybe a clit and probably had a different name. “Should I stay away from it or…?

“You may touch,” Starscream said, and his lips quirked into a grin. “At least I don't have to worry about you hurting me.”

Blurr glanced at his sharp talons. He supposed Starscream had a point. Those things were wicked and dangerous.

“Would you prefer if I went back to sucking your dick?” he asked.

Starscream’s smirk widened. “Or both,” he suggested, his tone a half-assed attempt at casual. Blurr had known him too long. He read the mischief in it.

Greedy harpy. Blurr wasn't at all surprised.

He was, however, curious.

He brushed his finger over Starscream’s nub, and turned his wrist, so his thumb could rub a gentle pressure against it, like he used to do for Rathi. Starscream started moving in slow circles, especially when Blurr slid his forefinger into the dewy damp of Starscream's antrum.

Ohhhh. He was so warm. And tight. And gripping.

Blurr shivered. His dick throbbed and shoved at his zipper. He could feel himself soaking the inside of his jeans.

He wondered if…

Blurr sucked his bottom lip into his mouth. He focused on rubbing Starscream's clit and fingering him gently. Those warble sounds returned, and Starscream's eyes darkened. He licked his lips, breathing picking up pace. His antrum eased, opening up, and Blurr added a second finger, pushing them deeper.

There were little nodules inside Starscream's antrum. They seemed randomly placed, but when he played them special attention, Starscream's feathers ruffled. Maybe they were like G-spots or little erogenous nubbins.

Sweet.

He wondered how they would feel on more than just his fingers, though. What would they feel like rubbing against his dick?

He wondered if Starscream would let him try.

And now he was seriously thinking about it. Because Starscream was hot and sexy and Blurr's mind was already wrapping around the concept, and his dick was fully on board with it.

Inevitable progression, right?

Blurr licked his lips nervously and rubbed along the inside of Starscream's antrum. This was a wild, crazy thought. But his own dick throbbed, and he really wanted to try and maybe… maybe Starscream was up for it.

“So...” he said as he added a third finger and rolled them in and out of Starscream, who was making those pretty warbling noises again. “I mean… could I… would you mind if I…?”

Wow, this was hard to ask.

His face heated.

Starscream's thighs shook and his legs drew in, pressing against Blurr's sides. “I may have to murder you if you don't,” he said, in the clearest terms possible.

Well. Okay then.

Blurr pulled his fingers free and rose to his knees, scooting closer. He pushed his jeans down with one hand, his dick flopping free, and quickly coated himself with the sticky fluid that seeped from Starscream's antrum. His dick throbbed in his hold as his heart beat faster with anticipation. He thought longingly of the supplies he’d so bravely purchased, but he had a feeling they wouldn’t be necessary. At least, not for this side of the equation.

Starscream curled his hands around his own knees, and opened himself wider, made his entrance all the more visible. The rim of it glistened with fluid. It looked dark and inviting. The edges rippled as though demanding Blurr try. He could imagine how that hot, rippling pressure would feel on his dick.

Oh yeah. He was gonna do it.

“Don't let me hurt you, okay?” Blurr asked as he put himself in position, guiding the head of his dick toward Starscream's antrum. He brushed against the sticky wetness and shuddered as pleasure sizzled down his spine.

Starscream rasped a laugh. “You won't.” His fingers flexed on his knees as his antrum rippled again. “Come on, Blurr. I trust you.”

“And I’m honored by that trust,” Blurr murmured as he stroked his free hand over the curve of Starscream’s leg.

Blurr licked his lips again and nudged himself into Starscream's antrum, his breath hitching as his dick was slowly enclosed by the wet, grasping heat of Starscream's antrum. It felt like something was trying to pull him in and deeper, and he could definitely feel those little nubs rubbing against his shaft.

He thrust slowly, but Starscream never once indicated he was in any discomfort. He just moaned, canted his hips higher, and urged Blurr to keep going. He was shaking now, his feathers rustling, the shiver of someone deep in pleasure.

Blurr rolled his hips until he bottomed out. He drew in a heavy breath and leaned over Starscream, bracing his hands to either side of Starscream's belly. He wanted to kiss Starscream, but couldn't reach. Damn their height difference.

“Oh, man, you feel so good,” Blurr murmured. He held himself still, just feeling Starscream squeeze down and ripple around him.

Starscream wrapped his legs around Blurr's waist, trapping him in place. He propped himself up on his elbows and curled his spine forward, displaying a rather amazing flexibility and putting his lips in reach.

Blurr took advantage of that, shifting so that he could steal Starscream's lips and indulge in one of those deep, sweet kisses. Blurr moaned into the kiss, his tongue tangling with Starscream's as his dick throbbed. He wanted to move, needed to move, but he'd have to let go of Starscream's lips to do that. What a quandary.

At best, Blurr could move his hips in little rocks, grinding against the base of Starscream's dick and that little clit-like nub at the top of Starscream's antrum. It seemed to be working, though, cause Starscream made another one of those needy whines in his throat and abruptly threw an arm over Blurr's shoulder and across the back of his neck.

He gasped and broke off the kiss, tipping his head back, baring the vulnerable hollow of his throat to Blurr. “Bite me.”

Blurr furrowed his brow. “What?”

Starscream's antrum squeezed down, rippling over his dick. More dewy fluid seeped out. He moaned and tried to tug Blurr closer.

“Bite me,” Starscream said, again, pleading this time. His breathing became more rapid, the fluttering of his antrum more pronounced. “Please, Blurr.”

It had to be a harpy thing. Blurr's teeth were blunt compared to Starscream's sharp canines, but maybe it was more about pressure? Well, if it made Starscream happy and produced more of those pleased sounds, Blurr was up for trying it.

He kissed his way down to Starscream's throat, and just doing that was enough to make Starscream shiver. His arm tightened around Blurr's neck, and his thighs pressed in on Blurr's hips. His antrum squeezed, trapping Blurr inside, shortening his thrusts.

Wow. He really liked this.

Blurr pressed his mouth to Starscream's throat, feeling the pulse of Starscream’s core against his lips. He nuzzled into the hollow of Starscream's throat, the vibrations of Starscream's warbling tangible against his lips. The squeeze of Starscream's thighs eased enough for Blurr to get back to grinding against Starscream's clit-nub. Heat poured off Starscream in waves now.

“Blurr,” Starscream moaned.

He smelled so damn good.

Blurr groaned and scraped his teeth along Starscream's throat, the tickle of the not-feathers against his lips. Starscream keened, his back arching, his entire body trembling.

He was the hottest thing Blurr had ever seen.

Blurr kissed his way to where the vibrations were strongest, and he gently bit down. Talons scratched at his shoulder as Starscream's hips bucked up against his.

“More,” Starscream demanded. “ _Harder_.”

Blurr growled and bit down, feeling the give of Starscream's throat beneath his teeth, not enough to draw blood, but enough that Starscream certainly felt it. He thrust in at the same time, grinding hard against Starscream's clit-nub.

Starscream’s body jerked, and he cried out in his own language. His antrum tightened hard on Blurr’s dick and he was coming, Blurr realized, the bucking of his hips and the writhe of his body telling the tale. His plumage rustled, his throat worked against Blurr's teeth, and a high-pitched keen poured from his throat into the sky.

Blurr dragged his mouth back to Starscream's lips, kissing him hard. There was a mess between them. Starscream had come with both his antrum and his dick, and his come soaked Blurr's shirt and groin.

Starscream panted against his mouth, his tongue lazily sliding over Blurr's. The flats of his fingers kneaded against Blurr's shoulder.

Blurr's dick throbbed all the harder. He wanted, no needed, to come.

“Can I… is it okay if I…?” Blurr pressed his forehead to Starscream's throat, unable to find the words.

“Whatever you need,” Starscream purred.

Blurr growled and pushed Starscream onto his back, grabbing Starscream's hips to hike them into a perfect position. It was the perfect angle for a deep thrust, and Blurr allowed himself to do so, plunging into Starscream with abandon. Heat zipped up and down his spine, pouring out of the pool in his belly, and it felt so damn good to let go like this, let his body do what it wanted while Starscream panted and writhed invitingly beneath him.

It took only a handful of thrusts, of Starscream rising up to meet his thrusts, before Blurr gritted out a snarl and came. He grit his teeth so hard he tasted blood and realized he must have bit his tongue, but there was no pain. All of that was secondary to pleasure, a brain-shattering orgasm like nothing he'd ever felt before.

Oh, god. That was so good.

Blurr panted and loosed his hold on Starscream's hips, lowering him gently back to the ground. His legs wobbled, and his arms felt as heavy as lead. He looked down, saw his softening length slide out of Starscream's antrum, and the pearly strings of a mixture of his come and Starscream's natural lubricationt.

Damn that was hot.

Starscream purred and stretched like a cat. “That is what I call a great idea. So glad I came up with it,” he said, lounging against the grass like a king who'd been serviced.

Blurr managed a crooked grin. “That was a surprise.”

“An unpleasant one?”

Blurr gestured to his fluid-spattered groin. “I'd say we both enjoyed it.”

“I know I did.” Starscream reached down with those freakishly large arms of his and hooked his hands over Blurr's shoulders.

Blurr yelped as he found himself tucked into a sprawl against the harpy's chest, Starscream rolling him into a cuddle and draping a winged arm over Blurr's body. His chin rested on the top of Blurr's head, his body purring as he pressed them together.

“Hey,” Blurr said into a feathery chest as Starscream threw a leg over him as well, trapping him in place.

Granted, he was quite comfortable like this, laying on a pillow of harpy feathers and soft grass. Starscream smelled good, and he was warm and there was something soothing about his purring. But Blurr also felt awkward cause his jeans drooped on his hips, his cock was out and though soft, the sensitive tip kept brushing against Starscream's feathers.

“What? Humans don't cuddle after sex?” Starscream asked, his tone amused. The one arm he had cradled around Blurr's back was long enough that his fingers could gently card through the tangles of Blurr's hair.

“Depends on the human.” Blurr worked an arm free and slid it over Starscream's waist, his fingers tickling over feathers.

Starscream chuckled and tilted his head, nosing into Blurr's hair. He could hear the harpy sniffing at him, which was kind of odd, but then again, probably perfectly normal for a harpy.

A harpy Blurr had just had sex with. Was it weird to be giddy?

“Are you okay?” Starscream asked as his talons lightly scratched at Blurr's scalp, and it felt so good, Blurr almost started purring himself.

Blurr closed his eyes and buried his face against Starscream's chest. “You didn't hurt me.”

“That doesn't answer my question, Blurr.”

“I know.” Blurr stroked Starscream, dragging his fingers through the feathers. “Ask me tomorrow. I'm still trying to process things. Every time we move forward, I have to reconcile it.”

There was a moment of silence, where Blurr could hear the roaring waterfall and the gusting wind, and if he concentrated, the beating of Starscream's core.

“Do you regret it?” Starscream asked, finally. He went tense, as though he feared Blurr's answer.

Blurr shifted. He nibbled on his bottom lip. He thought about the last thirty minutes or so and realized, no, he wouldn't take it back. There was nothing to regret.

“No,” Blurr said, and crooked his mouth into a grin. “Wouldn't mind a bath though. I'm sticky.”

Starscream chuckled. “I can take care of that,” he said, and Blurr found his world turning upside down.

He blinked as he rolled onto his back and Starscream loomed over him, a smile on his lips and warmth in his bright eyes.

“That is,” Starscream continued as he reached down and tugged on Blurr's jeans, “if you'll let me.” His tongue flicked over his lips.

Blurr swallowed thickly. His heart beat faster and the southern chill shifted back toward heat. “I wouldn't oppose it.”.

Starscream grinned and shimmed down Blurr's body, whisking off his jeans and sneakers in a motion too fast for Blurr to track. He winked and curled his hands around Blurr's thighs before pushing them up and out, completely baring Blurr's sticky groin to the harpy's scrutiny.

Blurr waited for the embarrassing questions. Because humans and harpies were different and Blurr had just been made aware of that.

But there were none. And of course there weren't. Starscream was a scientist. He probably knew this stuff already.

Starscream made a happy rumble in his chest and bent down, his long, long tongue lapping at Blurr's softened dick. He made another pleased sound and licked at Blurr again, cleaning all traces of their mingled fluids from Blurr's dick. Even his balls were treated to the slow, wet, and hot tongue bath.

Blurr shivered and clutched at the grass, his head tilting back, staring up at a blue, blue sky.

“Yeah, definitely not opposed,” he said with a moan as Starscream's knees applied a bit more pleasure, further opening Blurr up.

He left no territory unexplored. He nibbled on the inside of Blurr's thighs and suckled on his dick and licked his balls and even further down. He pressed his nose to the trimmed curls of Blurr's pubic area and inhaled, like he was memorizing Blurr's scent. That was a little weird, but then, Harpies didn't have pubic hair so maybe it fascinated him?

Blurr wasn't going to ask.

Starscream purred and lapped at the tip of Blurr's dick, licking his lips as though savoring the taste. His plumage fluttered, his fingers flexing on Blurr's knee and leaving gentle pricks behind.

“Your clava seems to be waking back up,” Starscream said as he leaned down, rubbing his cheek along Blurr's length and rolling his eyes to look back up at Blurr.

“It's your fault,” Blurr grumbled and chewed on the inside of his cheek.

Starscream smirked. “Then I guess I better fix it, yes?”

Blurr sucked in a breath as Starscream started licking at his dick again, as if he enjoyed doing it.

At this rate, they were never going to leave the mountain. Blurr said as much aloud.

Starscream chuckled. “You say that like it's a bad thing,” he purred.

Blurr moaned and his head fell back against the grass. Was it possible to die from pleasure, he wondered.

But oh, what a way to go.

***

 


	19. Chapter 19

It was approaching sundown before Starscream carried Blurr down from the falls, their bellies rumbling with hunger, and Blurr’s clothes in disarray. Starscream looked quite disheveled himself, and Blurr wanted nothing more than a shower, food, and a nap, not necessarily in that order.  
  
Also, his phone had died, and he should probably fix that. After ignoring the half-dozen phone calls from Miko and Sari, he’d turned it on vibrate. The constant buzzing eventually killed his already half-dead battery.  
  
They ordered take out, because neither of them were fit for public consumption, and Blurr sat around in his underwear while they ate lo mein and egg rolls and devoured a whole container of fried donuts.  
  
“You’re really all right?” Starscream asked as he rooted out every crunchy bite of sugary, fried dough, some of it caught at the corners of his mouth.  
  
Blurr laughed and rubbed away the sugar with his thumb. “Yeah. I’m good.” Really good. He leaned in for a sweet kiss, too sated for his dick to so much as even twitch in interest.  
  
“Good.” Starscream nuzzled him, lips leaving a warm path over the curve of Blurr’s jaw. “I love you.”  
  
Blurr’s face heated. He fumbled his chopsticks and snagged the last egg roll because he could. “I love you,” he replied, quietly. It was a warmth coiling in his chest every time he heard those words, a soft confirmation he wasn’t alone anymore.  
  
Starscream’s smile made it all worth it.  
  
They slept in Blurr’s bed that night, curled together in the narrow space that was his bed, wrapped together in his comforter. It was one of the best night’s sleeps Blurr ever had, and waking up next to Starscream took on an entirely different flavor that morning.  
  
Blurr imagined it was something that could continue, day after day after day. It was something he didn’t want to lose. He wanted to stay in Kaon. He wanted to stay with Starscream. He was sure of it.  
  
Starscream woke him with lazy kisses and nuzzles and an even lazier blow job that had Blurr sweaty and wrecked in the bed while Starscream pranced around and dug out a box of pop-tarts from the cabinet.  
  
“I have a confession to make,” Starscream said, a corner of a strawberry pop-tart hanging from his mouth as he brought the other to Blurr. “I have to go back to the aerie today.”  
  
Blurr sat up. “What? Why?”  
  
Starscream looked guilty, his feathers slicking around his body. “I promised I’d help Perceptor with something. But I’m going to come back tonight. I probably should’ve waited to come until today, I just didn’t want to.” He gave Blurr a pointed look.  
  
Blurr’s face burned. He nibbled on the pop-tart and thought longingly of a cinnamon latte. “I suppose I can give you up for today. I should probably work on that paper anyway.”  
  
“I am a distraction after all,” Starscream preened, and Blurr laughed, because it was true.  
  
They finished their pop-tarts and snuggled until Starscream couldn’t delay his departure any longer, and Blurr saw him to the roof. A warm spring morning with clear skies greeted them. It would have been a good day for a flight. Blurr supposed Starscream would owe him one.  
  
“I’ll be back tonight,” Starscream said as Blurr burrowed in against his chest, and rubbed his cheek on Starscream’s feathers, inhaling the fruit-sweet scent of him.  
  
“You’d better,” Blurr said.  
  
They kissed, long and savoring, before Starscream stepped back and took off into the sky. Blurr shielded his eyes and watched Starscream go until he was a dark speck against the bright blue, cloudless late morning.  
  
He’d wanted to talk to Starscream about his future plans, how he wanted to stay in Kaon, the jobs he could try and apply for, even the upcoming semi-finals and the scouts who would be present. Waiting a little longer wouldn’t hurt.  
  
He supposed he’d have to get used to the sight of watching Starscream fly away.  
  
Blurr trudged back to his dorm room, slumped at his desk, and pulled up that paper he should have finished last week. It was due tomorrow after all, and he needed it at least mostly done so Starscream could proofread it for him. He’d insist on doing it.  
  
So Blurr got to work.  
  
By the time he surfaced for longer than it took to grab a bite to eat or search for one of the references he needed, it was past sundown. Starscream hadn’t come back yet.  
  
Disappointment crowded at the edge of his thoughts. He chased it away with reason. Science experiments weren’t usually finished in a day. Perceptor probably needed his help for longer, and Starscream had no way of contacting Blurr to let him know.  
  
It was nothing to worry about.  
  
Blurr sent his paper to the downstairs printer -- grammatical errors and all. He’d turn it in as is. He wasn’t trying to win any award, just pass the class, with whatever slim margin he could manage.  
  
He ate ramen for dinner and went to bed early, because there was no point in staying awake, though he raised the blinds in his window. On the off chance Starscream showed up late, Blurr would wake up.  
  
Except Starscream didn’t show up the next day. Or on Tuesday. Or Wednesday. Or Thursday.  
  
Worry set in. Worry and anger and a flurry of other emotions.  
  
Coach noticed Starscream wasn’t in the stands. She asked him where his biggest fan was, and Blurr had to deflect. TJ gave him worried eyes, but Blurr didn’t have any answers. It was on the tip of his tongue to tell TJ what they had done. It was as much of a big deal as it wasn’t. Right?  
  
“We’re going out drinking tonight, wanna come?” TJ asked as a chorus of their teammates echoed him with teases and calls to join. Even if Blurr rarely did.  
  
Blurr smiled and shook his head. “Appreciate the offer, but Starscream should be back tonight.”  
  
TJ grinned and slipped in closer, lowering his voice so the others couldn’t hear. “What happened to bros before birds, huh?”  
  
“Shut up.” Blurr rolled his eyes and rapped TJ’s shoulder gently with his knuckles. “We’ll set a date for later this week. Just you and me. Promise.”  
  
“I’ll hold you to it.” TJ winked and threw his bag over his shoulder, striding off to join their teammates. “Looks like it’s just us.”  
  
Blurr watched them go.  
  
And Starscream didn’t come back that night either. Friday morning rolled around, and no carefully thrown acorns woke him from sleeping in. His phone didn’t go off because Miko and Sari were calling to let him know Starscream had been spotted and could they please have another interview, pretty please?  
  
Blurr got up. He showered. He had instant oatmeal for breakfast, he threw on somewhat clean clothes, and shoved books into his bag with the intention of completing some chores. Maybe he’d even do laundry today. Be industrious.  
  
He left the dorm and there was no harpy waiting for him in the courtyard, lounging beneath the red maple while a gaggle of fans and curious students crowded around him. He searched a sky going gray, but no large bird-like shape flitted among the clouds.  
  
He tried not to worry.  
  
Rathi cornered him when he returned his research materials to the library. “I haven’t seen Starscream in a while. Where’s that feathered idiot?”  
  
“Busy, I think,” Blurr said, keeping his eyes down, unable to look at her face, worried she’d read the shame and embarrassment in it. “I’m not his keeper.”  
  
Rathi’s eyebrows climbed upward. “Wow. That sounded defensive.” She put her hand on the stack of books and leaned toward him. “Everything okay, Zippy?”  
  
Blurr sighed and adjusted the strap of his backpack. “You really haven’t heard from Starscream?”  
  
“No.” Rathi nibbled on her bottom lip without disturbing her artfully applied lipstain. “How unusual is that?”  
  
Blurr scratched the side of his face. “Depends, I guess. Maybe I just got too used to him being around all the time.” He shrugged, tried to play it off. “Then again, I didn’t really know him that well this time last year. Something’s probably going on at the aerie that has him busy.”  
  
Rathi nodded thoughtfully. “You could ask Dr. Morgan?”  
  
“Yeah, you’re right. I’ll do that.”  
  
Beep went the computer as Rathi scanned his books back into the system. “That’s what you need me for, Dae, a voice of reason.” Beep went another book, one of the ones Starscream had borrowed and finished before leaving. “Don’t worry. He’s head over heels for you. He’ll be back.”  
  
Blurr sincerely hoped she was right.  
  
He spent Saturday training under Coach’s watchful eye and acid tongue. He tried not to stare at the sky and wonder. He tried not to worry. Coach barked at him to focus.  
  
“Get your head in the game,” she snapped as he nearly tripped over his own feet, legs feeling like lead, and thoughts slamming into each other. “How’re you going to win tomorrow if you’re giving me these numbers today?”  
  
“Sorry,” Blurr said.  
  
He felt like he’d been apologizing a lot over the past week.  
  
“Don’t be sorry. Work harder.” Coach clapped her hands together. “Around the track again. Show me that speed we’re paying for.”  
  
Blurr trained harder. He pushed thoughts of Starscream out of his head. He pushed aside his worries, his anger, everything. Whether or not he’d accept any offers made his way was a moot point if he didn’t receive any. He had to impress. He had to show Coach her faith in him wasn’t ill-placed.  
  
Starscream wasn’t back by Sunday morning. He wasn’t back in time for the semi-finals. He wasn’t in the stands while they slowly filled with on-lookers, or while TJ helped Blurr stretch, his hands working magic on the knots in Blurr’s shoulder.  
  
“It’s weird,” TJ murmured, barely audible over the roar of the crowd. “Starscream’s usually front and center at these things.”  
  
“He’s busy,” Blurr said.  
  
“Too busy for you?” TJ asked as his thumbs swept patterns around the ridge at the top of Blurr’s spine. “I find that hard to believe. Everything okay between you two?”  
  
Blurr stared hard at the ground, concentrated on the heat of the sun, the noise of the crowds. “Yeah. Everything’s fine.”  
  
TJ rested his hands on Blurr’s shoulders, giving him a companionable squeeze. “Right, well, when you’re ready to admit things aren’t fine, you know where to find me. Just try and keep your head in the races, okay? These scouts are here for you.”  
  
No pressure or anything.  
  
Blurr won.  
  
Of course he won. Winning was an inevitability. But it wasn’t impressive. It wasn’t a good show. He stumbled near the finish line and barely crossed before the second place winner at the one-hundred yard dash.  
  
It felt like he couldn’t get his feet underneath him. Like his legs were made of noodles, and his lungs couldn’t catch a breath, and there was nothing pushing him from behind, or pulling him from the front.  
  
Winning races wasn’t always about speed. It was just as much a mind game as chess.  
  
Blurr had failed. Miserably.  
  
“What the fuck was that?” Coach asked as Blurr tried to catch his breath, and the world spun around him, sweat slicking his spine under the heat of the sun.  
  
“Sorry, Coach,” Blurr gasped, and heat banked at the back of his eyes, because this was the thing he was supposed to be good at, the thing that would give him a future for sure, and he’d fucked it up. “Don’t know what’s wrong.”  
  
Coach paced in front of him, her hair spiking in all directions as she ran her fingers through it. “I’ll you what’s wrong. That feathery good luck charm of yours isn’t here, that’s what’s wrong. Got your mind out in left field.”  
  
Blurr didn’t even play baseball.  
  
“Sorry,” he said, again.  
  
“Don’t be sorry, be better.” Coach stormed off with a rage-filled yell at the heavens.  
  
“You won. She needs to lay off,” TJ said as he finally dared approach Blurr, now that Coach had wandered off to berate someone else. He wriggled a water bottle in Blurr’s direction. “Everyone has off days.”  
  
Blurr shook his head. “Yeah, but I’m having my off day on the single most important day of my life.” He accepted the water bottle.  
  
“It’s not the thing that defines you, Dae.”  
  
Blurr chewed on his bottom lip. He was starting to believe that, the more he was with Starscream, but now the doubts had crept in. Perhaps that was what had affected him as well. He was realizing how important the races actually were.  
  
TJ clapped a hand on his shoulder and squeezed. “Come on. You still won. Let’s get your gold medals, and then I’ll take you out for ice cream.”  
  
Blurr snorted. “Ice cream? What am I, two?”  
  
“You’re telling me you don’t want two scoops of mint chocolate chip in a waffle cone?”  
  
Blurr’s stomach grumbled loudly, underscoring his fake offense. His face reddened even more.  
  
TJ laughed. “I think you do.” He slung an arm over Blurr’s shoulder and steered him toward the winner’s platforms, though there were still a few races to go, none of which involved Blurr. “Don’t worry, Dae. Everything’s going to work out. You’ll see.”  
  
He hoped TJ was right.  
  
Monday morning, Blurr went straight to Dr. Morgan’s office before his first class of the day. Granted it was a late morning class, but still, he’d forced himself out of bed and out the door with the rest of the early birds.  
  
It was awful.  
  
He fought off several yawns that the caramel doubleshot macchiato didn’t touch, and climbed to the second floor of the sciences building, to the last door on the left. It was wide open, inviting entry, and he recognized the young woman sitting at the front desk. Dr. Morgan’s office door was closed, and it was dim through the opaque glass.  
  
“Hello, Blurr. How can I help you?” the young woman asked as she looked up from her computer, eyes friendly behind her brown-rimmed glasses.  
  
“Is Dr. Morgan in? I had a few questions for her,” Blurr adjusted his shoulder strap, glancing again at the closed, dim door.  
  
Her name tag read Brenda, and she smiled apologetically at him. “I’m sorry. This is her yearly vacation. She won’t be back until Monday next week. Is it urgent?”  
  
Blurr sucked on his bottom lip. “Has Starscream been by to see her lately?”  
  
“Not since before he finished his molt.” Brenda cocked her head to the side, tapping the corner of her mouth with one finger. “That was, hmm, two weeks ago? Why do you ask?”  
  
He wasn’t even visiting with Dr. Morgan? Did that mean he hadn’t come back to campus since he’d been with Blurr?  
  
Was he done with the humans? Was he done with Blurr?  
  
Blurr shook his head, backing up a step toward the door. “No reason. He’s probably just busy. I’ll come back on Monday to talk to Dr. Morgan about a potential job.” He smiled, hoping that would be the end of it.  
  
Brenda smiled at him. “Sure thing. I’ll let her know you stopped by.”  
  
Blurr thanked her and made his escape, his thoughts swirling in his head. If Dr. Morgan wasn’t available to ask, he’d have to search elsewhere.  
  
He pulled out his cellphone and started scrolling through his contacts. He hated to do this, but he was running out of options. He needed answers. He needed to know.  
  
Blurr debated, back and forth, for several minutes as he stood outside the building. Who was worse? He honestly didn’t know. They were different sides of the same coin.  
  
He went alphabetical and selected Miko Nakadai. He held his breath as he waited, half of him wanting her to pick up, the other half wishing it would roll over into voicemail.  
  
“Blurr? Wow! This is a first! You’re calling me. What’s up?” Miko’s voice poured happily into the receiver before Blurr could get two words in edgewise. He wasn’t surprised she had his number programmed in.  
  
Blurr ground his teeth. He rubbed his forehead with his free hand. “You haven’t seen Starscream in the last week, have you?”  
  
“Um. No. Not gotten any reports of him around either.” Miko hummed into the phone, and Blurr could all but see her flipping through her schedule book. “Shouldn’t you know?”  
  
“If I did, I wouldn’t have asked,” Blurr gritted out. His head started to ache, and he knew it had more to do with his clenched teeth. “He’s been gone for a week, and he was supposed to be back last Sunday.”  
  
There was a sharp inhalation. “Do you think he’s in trouble?”  
  
“I honestly don’t know. It’s not like I can call him.”  
  
“Well, maybe Red knows something.”  
  
Blurr blinked and furrowed his brow. “Wait. Richard? Why would he know something?”  
  
Something fumbled on the other side of the phone. He heard a muttered curse followed by the tic-tic-tic of Miko texting while he was still on the call. “Because Red knows everything. It’s kind of creepy the way he knows everything, and right now, he’s focusing on knowing everything about the Harpies. Plus his dad is the Dean, and he was there when they signed the contract, so he probably has some inside information.”  
  
That… was a lot to absorb. Frankly, Blurr was a bit impressed with how she’d said all that without taking a breath.  
  
“Anyway, I just asked and he’s home right now, so go see him.”  
  
Blurr tightened his grip on the phone. “Can’t I just call him?”  
  
“No.” Miko all but barked at him, and her voice, which had been sounding as if she had him on speaker, suddenly came through much louder. “Go to the observatory on the top floor of Flint. Red’s there.”  
  
“Why is he-- You know what. Never mind.” Blurr pinched the bridge of his nose. “I’ll go look for him. But if you hear from Starscream or see him...?”  
  
“You’ll be the first to know. I promise!” He couldn’t see Miko, but he could imagine her beaming grin. “I’m sure he’s fine, Blurr. Don’t worry too much, okay?”  
  
It was impossible not to worry.  
  
“Thanks, Miko.”  
  
“Anytime!”  
  
Blurr ended the call and checked the time. If he hurried, he could make it to his first class with time to spare.  
  
Or he could go the opposite direction and seek out Flint Hall, where Richard apparently could be found in the Conservatory. Blurr often forgot there was a Conservatory on campus. Starscream would have liked to go, he imagined. If Starscream hadn’t been already.  
  
He’d never be able to focus on class. Not like this. He needed to know what happened to Starscream, or if it was a simpler, more painful reason.  
  
Starscream had gotten what he wanted. He was bored of humans now, having satisfied his curiosities. Worse, he was bored of Blurr.  
  
That thought sent a sharp pang through Blurr’s chest. He didn’t want to believe it. On a list of terrible reasons, that one was at the bottom. He felt guilty for harboring that potential reason at all, but he had to be reasonable, didn’t he? Had to consider all angles?  
  
Had to get some fucking answers.  
  
Blurr spun on a heel and aimed himself at Flint Hall. Classes could wait. This mystery was more important. He wouldn’t be able to focus until he knew if Starscream was safe or not, and what his absence meant.  
  
It still counted as between typical class time so the walkways were choked with people. Blurr did his best to slip through them, making a beeline for Flint Hall. Few classes were taken at Flint, so the crowd diminished by the time he arrived.  
  
It was quiet inside. Quiet like a museum, his runners making odd echoes on the polished tile beneath him. There was no one manning the front desk. There weren’t any visible stairs, but there was an elevator, the lights glowing faintly off to the left.  
  
“You should have been here faster.”  
  
Blurr followed the voice, finding a railing about two floors above him, and a face peeking out over it. A wild shock of ginger hair framed pale skin and freckles. He recognized Richard, it was impossible not to, and boy, that creepy vibe the eternal student gave off was not eased by the situation.  
  
“Got here as soon as I could,” Blurr called back up. “Miko said you could help.”  
  
“Could, yes. Willing?” Richard tilted his head, staring down at Blurr like a visitor might stare at a taxidermied animal at a museum. “Only because I owe Miko a favor.” He vanished behind the railing, but his voice floated over. “Take the elevator to the third floor. I’ll meet you.”  
  
Blurr ground his teeth. There was no point in arguing. He stomped over to the elevator, jabbed the call button, and waited impatiently for it to come.  
  
This was all Starscream’s fault.  
  
Sure enough, Richard was waiting for him. He stood there, arms crossed, as Blurr departed from the rickety elevator with a silent prayer to Primus that he survived it. He hoped he could find the stairs for his later descent. He didn’t know if he was lucky enough to make it through one more ride in that thing.  
  
“We’ll start at the beginning,” Red said before Blurr opened his mouth. He spun on a single foot and strode down the walkway, following the rail.  
  
Blurr assumed he was supposed to follow. He adjusted his backpack and fell in step slightly behind Richard, who uncrossed his arms to clasp his hands behind his back.  
  
“The Kaon Aerie was not officially instated until ten years ago,” Red said, and wow, he wasn’t kidding when he said start at the beginning. “Prior to that, Kaon was home to several harpies, all of whom resided on the university grounds. Perceptor was the first, followed by Drift, and Shockwave not long after. They were all granted a home here on the condition they share their knowledge with the scholars. It was a mutually beneficial agreement.”  
  
Red’s voice, like his measured footsteps, echoed in the dim halls around them. He walked past the double-doors into the conservatory, and paused at a smaller door off to the side. It was marked “Employees Only” but Red pulled out a key. Apparently, he qualified as an employee.  
  
“The Aerie was established once Liege Megatron and his companions came to Kaon, and it was signed in accordance with the governor of Kaon, and the dean of Kaon University. Since it’s inception, it has grown slowly in number. Our last count puts the population at over four dozen, give or take.”  
  
He pushed the door open and gestured for Blurr to precede him.  
  
Blurr wasn’t sure he wanted to. The first room was some kind of research slash library room, and there were piles and piles of books, papers, and physical storage devices all over the place. The walls were plastered with maps and schematics, and the floor was littered with stacks of books with matching spines.  
  
Richard gave him a nudge, and Blurr stepped gingerly into the room, careful to avoid, well, everything. Red followed from behind, and Blurr made a beeline for the opposite door and what was, hopefully, more space to maneuver.  
  
“The Aerie is self-sufficient and self-ruled, though if a harpy steps foot on grounds outside of the Aerie, they are subject to the laws of the city-state of Kaon,” Red continued to drone, and he didn’t seem to care if Blurr acknowledged his recitations or not. “Vice versa, of course, not that Liege Megatron has invited any human to the aerie, not even Dr. Jessica Morgan.”  
  
The next room was an office of some kind, much smaller than the previous room, with a desk and an entertainment center both cluttered into the narrow space. A door on the far end was probably Richard’s bedroom, Blurr assumed.  
  
There wasn’t anywhere to sit. But at least he could stand without fear of toppling over a book stack.  
  
“While self-sufficient, the Kaon Aerie does embark in trade with the local populace of humans, specifically for electronic devices and foods they cannot grow or gather for themselves.” Red swung his desk chair out, plopped down in it, then scooted to his computer, powering it up with a few quick taps of his fingers.  
  
Blurr pinched the bridge of his nose. “This is all very, very fascinating,” he lied. Only Starscream could make harpy culture interesting apparently. “But it’s not helping me.”  
  
Richard stayed focus on his computer, the screen casting an odd glow on his face. “What do you want to know then?”  
  
“Um. About their laws and stuff, I guess,” Blurr said, scratching the back of his neck. “But before all that, do you have a way to contact them?”  
  
“Like a telephone number?” Richard barked a laugh. “No, Blurr. They don’t have cell phones or ground lines. I could try sending Perceptor an e-mail. Sometimes, he responds to me, sometimes, he doesn’t.”  
  
Blurr chewed on his bottom lip. “Well, could you try? I’m worried about Starscream. I haven’t seen him in over a week, and he was supposed to be back by now.”  
  
Richard’s fingers paused on the keys. He half-turned, glancing over his shoulder. “Starscream is a harpy. Not your pet. If he doesn’t want to see you anymore, I do think that’s his right.”  
  
“I’m not saying it isn’t,” Blurr spluttered, his face flushing with a mixture of anger and embarrassment. “I’d just like to know if that’s what’s going on or not. And, well…” He raked his fingers through his hair, mussing the strands. “He might be in trouble because of me.”  
  
“Trouble,” Red echoed. “Did you break a law?”  
  
Blurr dropped his gaze. He found the geometric patterns of Red’s throw rug very fascinating. “I don’t know because I don’t know their laws. Especially when it comes to, uh… dating. And romance. And… humans.” It was probably the most he’d stuttered in a single breath, but by Primus, he hadn’t expected to come out like this.  
  
His face felt as hot as a branding iron, and probably looked like a tomato.  
  
Red swiveled around in the chair slowly, looking at Blurr without blinking. “Uh, Dae Hyeun, is there something you want to tell me?”  
  
“No, there’s something I want you to tell me,” Blurr retorted.  
  
Richard’s Adam’s apple bobbed. “Huh.” He swiveled back around to his computer. “As far as I’m aware, there are no rules with respect to humans and harpies. I don’t think it’s something they ever considered, given that most harpies don’t like humans. Megatron’s flock seems to be the exception.”  
  
“The exception. Why?”  
  
Red’s shoulders hunched. “Megatron has a habit of gathering the weird ones. Harpies who were kicked out of their own flocks or left of their own accord, usually because they don’t want to follow or didn’t follow the laws of their own flock.”  
  
Blurr frowned, crossing his arms. “Hypothetically speaking then, what would it mean if a harpy tried to date a human?”  
  
“Why would they? We aren’t compatible.” Red Alert coughed nervously into his fist again. He gave Blurr a sidelong look. “They live three times as long as we do. For most of them, humans are curious oddities or dangerous creatures. No way they’d seriously be interested in one of us.”  
  
No way. Blurr repeated that to himself. Curious oddities even.  
  
“You should have asked Starscream about this,” Richard said with a huff. His fingers clicked quickly across the keys. “Especially if you’ve entered into a relationship with him.”  
  
“I never said that I did.”  
  
“You’re not subtle, Dae Hyeun. I know what you were asking. And for the record, if something happened, something you didn’t want, you should let someone know.” Richard paused and coughed into his hand. “Preferably not me because there’s not much I can do to help.”  
  
Blurr worked his jaw and toed the carpet with the tip of his runners. “Who would I tell?” he asked. “Not that anything happened, but maybe someone else knows a way I can contact the Aerie.”  
  
“Unlikely.” Richard snorted and his fingers swept away from the keys with a flourish. “Your best bet is to speak with Liege Megatron. He takes the agreement very seriously. If one of his own did anything to jeopardize that, he’d want to know.”  
  
“Starscream didn’t do anything!” Blurr snapped.  
  
Richard threw up his hands and spun around in the chair again, this time launching out of it, as his printer stirred to life with multiple clicks and whirrs. “Of course he didn’t. That’s why you’re here, asking me weird questions about harpy things that Starscream should be telling you, except he’s not here. Is he? Why is that, Blurr? Why?”  
  
“That’s what I want to know!”  
  
Red Alert snapped a sheet of paper off the printer and shoved it at Blurr, who grabbed for it on instinct. “Then go to the Aerie and find out for yourself. You’re not going to get your answers here.”  
  
The paper crinkled in Blurr’s fingers.  
  
Richard was right, of course. Why was Blurr running all over campus and dialing numbers he didn’t want to dial when he knew exactly where Starscream lived? It wasn’t as if Kaon’s aerie was hidden. Sure there wasn’t a road to get there, or a bus route, and no taxi would drive him, but he had two feet.  
  
“What’s the best way to get to the aerie?” Blurr asked.  
  
“With wings.” Richard stomped back over to his chair and threw himself down into it. “Barring that, you’ll have to walk. I gave you directions. Take the east gate.”  
  
Well. That explained the paper. Not that it was too hard to find. The Aerie was amazingly visible above the canopy of the forest. It was in finding a safe path where the trouble lay.  
  
It was going to take Blurr hours to get there.  
  
He might as well get started.  
  


~

  
  
Blurr went back to his dorm room and packed a bag. He shot off a quick e-mail to his professors and his adviser and Coach Sylvester. He made sure his phone was fully charged, though he doubted he’d have much reception out there, and he rented one of the campus bikes for a weeklong period.  
  
Anger carried him through all five hours of hard biking through the wilderness toward the massive tree that the Kaon Flock had claimed for their Aerie.  
  
He would find Starscream, and he would let the arrogant harpy have a piece of his mind. Blurr did not appreciate being used or treated like an experiment. He intended to take Red Alert's advice and lodge a complaint with the flock's liege.  
  
Maybe then Starscream would understand that you couldn't play around with a human like that. It was  _wrong_. You couldn't just walk into someone's life, turn their world upside down, and fly right back out without an explanation.  
  
It was just… well, it was rude!  
  
Eventually, the forest path got too dim and root-choked for him to continue on his bike. He had to leave it by a crooked sign post, hoping he could find it on his way back. Otherwise they’d charge him for it.  
  
He grabbed his bag and jogged the rest of the way. He counted it as training no matter what Coach had to say about it -- and boy had she had a lot to yell at him when he told her he was missing training. There were more important matters at hand.  
  
The sun set during his hike, turning what was already a dim, uneven path, into a dark, dangerous one. He hadn’t thought to bring a flashlight, but luckily, there was an app on his phone. It lit the way. He consulted his map, and hoped he was on the right track. Park Ranger Blurr was not.  
  
The trees were humongous sentinels rising out of the dark around him. They grew so high, he could no longer make out their tops, and their branches blocked out the sky and the stars. It was all a bit creepy, especially when the wildlife started to sing.  
  
Blurr was starting to think he was a little in over his head. And possibly lost.  
  
Something cracked sharply in the dark. Something else hissed. Blurr jumped and whirled, aiming his light behind him. Then up and up and up some more. The pale beam flashed over feathers. Feathers attached to two very massive, very tall, harpies.  
  
They were taller than Starscream by at least two heads, which meant they towered over Blurr. One of them was a dark red, the other a pale gray with strips of blue along the edges. They could probably snap Blurr like a twig.  
  
Fuck. Shit. Damn.  
  
Starscream wasn’t kidding when he said there were bigger harpies.  
  
They were going to kill him, weren’t they?  
  
“Um, hi.” Blurr offered an awkward wave with the hand not shaking as it pointed a light at them, and the eerie way their eyes reflected back. “I’m looking for Starscream.”  
  
They exchanged a glance. Their feathers ruffled and seemed to get even bigger. The red one hissed. The grey one folded his arms, showing off massive biceps, not that he wasn’t already twice as wide as Blurr.  
  
This was a terrible idea. He should have called first.  
  
“You human not belong here,” the grey one said, and his voice was so deep Blurr swore it rumbled through his bones.  
  
“Go home,” the other one said with a sweep of his arm and a wave of his massive wing. Blurr felt the breeze from it buffet his face.  
  
Blurr swallowed thickly. He planted a bravery he did not feel on his face. He prepared to be very, very stupid. “Not until I see Starscream.”  
  
“No humans allowed,” Grey growled and bared his teeth, the pointed ones looking especially dangerous in the light of Blurr’s cell phone. “Especially not now.”  
  
Blurr shook his head. “Look. I want to talk to Starscream, and I want to talk to Megatron. I have a right to declare a grievance.”  
  
Big Red took a menacing step forward. “Go home now,” he hissed.  
  
Blurr’s hands pulled into fists. “No.”  
  
And that, apparently, was the wrong thing to say.  
  
Grey snarled.  
  
Big Red warbled a sound that was in no way comforting to hear.  
  
And then Grey lunged at him and yeah, Blurr shrieked, just like he had when Starscream carried him to the top of the Glass Falls. He spun to dodge, tripped on something, and a bright crimson blur slammed into him. It knocked the breath out of him. Blurr gasped, his world spinning.  
  
Angry chittering rose around him. Snarling. Dark spots danced in front of his eyes.  
  
Well, that was unpleasant.  
  
Blurr tried to open his eyes, but his lids were too heavy. There was an arm around his waist. His legs were dangling? He was... he was…  
  
Well, he was going to pass out right here. That's what he was going to do.  
  
How embarrassing.  
  


***


	20. Chapter 20

Blurr lurched awake, heart pounding in his chest, limbs flailing. He shoved off the heavy weight of a blanket, squinting at a searing bright light as it lanced across his eyes. The scent of greenery floated around him, and some kind of incense?  
  
A red shape sat in his peripheral vision.  
  
Starscream.  
  
He was asleep, curled in a chair that better resembled an overlarge woven basket with pillows lining the weave. He looked peaceful, as if he didn’t have a care in the world.  
  
That bastard.  
  
Blurr groped behind him for a pillow and chucked it in Starscream’s direction.  
  
“Wake up you fragger!”  
  
The pillow bounced across Starscream’s head. He jerked awake, feathers flaring as he scrambled to his feet, stopping to disentangle himself from the thin blanket twisted around his body.  
  
He stared at Blurr with wide eyes and visible offense. “Why did you throw a pillow at me?”  
  
“Because you vanished, you asshole!” Blurr swung his legs over the side of the bed, his head swimming at the abrupt action. “Where the frag have you been?”  
  
Starscream blinked and took a step back from where it seemed he almost intended to hug Blurr. “Here. In the Aerie.”  
  
“Obviously.” Blurr folded his arms, anger burning through any worry he might have felt. “Meanwhile, I'm sitting along for the past week wondering how much I should have charged you.”  
  
Starscream frowned. “I don't follow.”  
  
“You used me, I feel I ought to have gotten paid for it.” Blurr snorted and shoved to his feet, because he didn’t like Starscream standing over him. “You vanished without an explanation. What was I supposed to think?”  
  
Starscream reared back, his crest feathers flaring high before flattening down his head, like that friend’s cockatiel used to do. “We've been under a lock down,” Starscream snapped. “I wasn’t allowed to leave.”  
  
Blurr gritted his teeth. His hands balled into fists at his side. “Why?”  
  
“Some of our members were kidnapped by humans.” Starscream folded his arms, shoulders hunching. “Apparently it happened while I was out with you. When I came back, Liege had put the entire Aerie into lockdown. No harpy allowed out, and no human allowed in.”  
  
Blurr had wanted a rational explanation. Starscream certainly provided one. Blurr wanted to believe it. He didn’t much like the sensation in the pit of his belly, the nausea and the disgust, the brief loathing he’d felt toward the harpy he’d gifted his heart.  
  
He stared at the floor.  
  
“Have I ever lied to you, Blurr?” Starscream asked, and his voice was small, quiet. “Have I ever done anything to hurt you? Have I given you reason before this not to trust me?”  
  
Blurr gnawed on the inside of his cheek. “No.”  
  
It was true. Starscream had been nothing but a gentleman, had made advances with all the speed of a snail, and constantly asked for Blurr’s permission and comfort.  
  
“Then please believe me now.” Starscream took a hesitant step forward, and Blurr didn’t flinch away from him. “As soon as I was given leave, I intended to come back to you. I swear it.”  
  
Heat banked at the back of Blurr’s eyes. He wanted so badly to believe Starscream. He wanted this unhappy coincidence to be a satisfactory explanation. He wanted to accept Starscream’s apology and fall into Starscream’s arms, and let the last weeks of gnawing loneliness melt away.  
  
But.  
  
“I believe you,” Blurr said, and he stared harder at the floor, even though Starscream audibly sighed with relief. “But it just proves we can’t be together.”  
  
“What!?” That was almost a squawk.  
  
Time ago, that would have been amusing to Blurr.  
  
He folded his arms, curled into himself. “You left me alone, Starscream. I was worried about you, and then I was angry, and I was alone again. You turned my life upside down, and then you were gone, and it might have been an accident, but it shows that we come from two different worlds. And maybe -- maybe we aren’t meant to mingle.”  
  
Oh, it hurt.  
  
Blurr’s life had improved tenfold since Starscream wandered into it. He’d reconnected with Rathi, and grown even closer to TJ, and made friends of Miko and Sari. He’d started to feel like he belonged in the world, belonged somewhere, and he’d never felt as loved as he did in Starscream’s arms.  
  
Starscream’s absence, however, had shown him how much of an impossible dream their future would be. Starscream would outlive him. His home was a giant tree in the forest. Blurr was meant to live with humans.  
  
Starscream warbled a soft sound. “Blurr, I--”  
  
“Oh, so you’re awake.”  
  
Blurr startled at the low growl and whirled toward the doorway, which was nothing more than a heavy curtain. It swept aside as a massive white harpy strode into the room. He frowned as his eyes swept from Starscream to Blurr and back again.  
  
“Starscream, I told you to come get me when he woke up,” the harpy said, his voice slightly accented but at least not that avian language Blurr didn’t know. “Once again proving that you are incapable of following clear directions.”  
  
Starscream shrank into himself. “I didn’t have the chance to--”  
  
“And I didn’t ask,” the large harpy interrupted. His gaze cut toward Blurr, and he pointed at the bed behind Blurr with a foretalon. “You, human, sit down. Starscream, we’re going to have words before I can think of dealing with the human.”  
  
Starscream’s feathers slicked down, and his fingers tangled together. “Actually, Ratchet, Blurr and I are in the middle of a discussion right now and--”  
  
“That wasn't a request,” Ratchet growled. He pointed to the floor. “Get your tailfeathers over here right now or so help me Adaptus, I will drag you out and make a show of it.”  
  
Starscream dipped his head. His plumage flattened. “Yes, Ratchet.” He turned away from Blurr, slinking across the floor like a child who’d been scolded.  
  
Blurr huffed. “We’re in the middle of something you know.”  
  
Ratchet’s hot blue glare turned on Blurr in force. “And you can continue your conversation when I’m done. Be quiet and wait your turn.”  
  
“It's fine, Blurr,” Starscream said with an uneasy smile. “Ratchet's our chief medic. He won't hurt me.”  
  
Somehow, Blurr didn’t believe him. He chuffed. “Whatever.” He sat on the bed. It obviously wouldn’t do him any good to argue.  
  
“I’ll be back,” Starscream said, pausing in the doorway as Ratchet swept out ahead of him.  
  
Blurr stared. “Yeah. I’ve heard that before.”  
  
Starscream gave him a sad, hurt look, but then he vanished out the curtain, and Blurr was left alone in the quiet of the room. Blurr had no idea what kind of room he was in, except there was a window, and the walls seemed to be made of woven wood.  
  
Beyond the curtain, Ratchet and Starscream started talking in their native tongue, and Blurr couldn’t make out a single thing they were saying.  
  
Ratchet had been angry. Outraged even.  
  
Did he know what Blurr and Starscream had done? Had Starscream told them? Had he bragged about it?  
  
Their vocalizations grew distant. Blurr tried not to fidget, but he’d never been good at sitting still.  
  
He moved to the window. It wasn't glassed over, and was instead open to the elements. Blurr looked out into the central core of the aerie. It was a twisting tangle of vines and branches and walkways and open spaces for flying. There were fewer harpies than he expected, but more than he thought could live comfortably here, and no two looked alike.  
  
The Harpies came in two types, the smaller, brighter ones like Starscream. And the larger, burlier ones like Ratchet and the two guards Blurr had seen earlier. There were smaller ones, smaller than Blurr himself, and he assumed they were children. But those were few and far between.  
  
Red Alert had said that the Kaon Flock was relatively small, likely due to the newness of it, and it wasn't to be taken as an example of harpy culture. They were all miscreants and hooligans and outcasts.  
  
Blurr didn't appreciate being told to 'sit and stay' like he was a dog or an errant pet.  
  
He approached the curtained doorway. All was silent beyond it, so Blurr peeked out into what seemed to be a hallway with other curtained doorways. One end of the hallway opened into a brighter room, the other into a dead end at another one of those unpaned windows.  
  
Starscream’s voice floated up to him from the end of the hallway, where it deadended. Ratchet’s voice was present as well, and though they were quiet to Blurr, he could hear the agitation in their tones.  
  
Blurr stepped fully into the hallway, letting the curtain shut behind him. He crept closer to Ratchet and Starscream’s voices, and wished he’d taken Miko up on her offer to try and teach him some of the more common harpy phrases. He loitered outside the curtain hiding Starscream from view, wishing he could understand their argument.  
  
“You must be the human my guards found.”  
  
Blurr startled and spun around, only to immediately lose his footing. His toe caught on a rise in the root structure beneath his feet -- he probably should have looked for his runners -- and he tumbled forward, straight through the curtain and into the room with Starscream and Ratchet.  
  
Ow.  
  
Blurr wrestled with the curtain, face red, spitting curses. Starscream stepped forward to help, pulling Blurr to his feet, and away from the dorway. This allowed another, larger harpy inside. One far more massive than Ratchet, and imposing in his stature.  
  
“Eavesdropping is impolite,” Ratchet said.  
  
Blurr eyed the newcomer, and inched a step closer to Starscream. “So is talking about someone behind their back. I know I heard my name.”  
  
Starscream’s hand tightened around his upper arm. “Politeness wouldn’t be out of order here,” he murmured.  
  
Blurr ignored him.  
  
“You have a sharp tongue, human,” said the other harpy in a deep, rumbling bass. “You don't seem to realize the danger you are in.”  
  
Blurr lifted his chin. “You won't hurt me. Otherwise, you wouldn’t have bothered bringing me all the way into your aerie.”  
  
Ratchet chuckled. “He has a point, Megatron. And yes, Blurr, you’re right. You’re the topic of choice. Or should I say, you and Starscream together.”  
  
“Because of what we did,” Blurr guessed. His cheeks heated, and he refused to look at Starscream, though Starscream’s hand rested on his arm still.  
  
So this was Megatron. Their leader. Or Liege. No wonder though. He was big, and if Blurr were being perfectly honest, he was scary, too.  
  
“Yes, little one, because of your relationship,” Megatron said with a very grave tone. “Humans and harpies are barely friendly as it is, yet what you and Starscream have shared goes beyond that.”  
  
Blurr kind of wanted to find a hole and bury himself in it. These sorts of things were supposed to be private. Why was Starscream going around blabbing to everyone? Was it a point of pride? Was he bragging?  
  
Wait a minute.  
  
Relationship?  
  
“There is no law,” Starscream said defensively. Both of his hands moved to Blurr’s shoulders, and Blurr was a bit alarmed to find they were trembling.  
  
“Because no one figured any harpy would be stupid enough to mate with a human,” Ratchet retorted.  
  
Blurr's eyes widened.  
  
Megatron growled. “Ratchet, that is unnecessary.”  
  
“We didn't mate,” Starscream corrected, and his tone was much softer than Blurr had ever heard, save for his quiet request for a conversation.  
  
“It's very necessary,” Ratchet argued, his feathers starting to puff up around his collar. “We don't know anything about humans or this one. It could be dangerous. Starscream could have gotten hurt, contracted something, who knows. And not to mention what the humans would think of it! They already believe us to be child-snatching demons.”  
  
Blurr'’s hackles rose. “Don't I get a say in this?” He stepped back into Starscream’s space, despite his earlier anger.  
  
There was something in the body language of the two larger harpies that suggested they were about to start fighting each other, and Blurr was a small human who did not want to get in the way of that mess.  
  
“I never took you for a xenophobe, Ratchet,” Megatron said, his tone controlled and tight. “I am disappointed.”  
  
Ratchet straightened, shoulders stiff. “That’s not what I meant. Don’t put words into my mouth, Megatron.”  
  
“Ratchet!” Megatron took a step forward, his growl echoing around the room. “You will calm your tongue, or I will calm it for you, do you understand me?” His hands flexed, talons appearing razor-sharp.  
  
Ratchet's frown deepened. He glared at Megatron before his plumage ruffled, and he took a step back, tilting his head to show the hollow of his throat.  
  
“Yes,” he said, though it was with the edge of a growl. “I understand, my Liege.” He paused, eyes flashing. “Though if you are expecting an apology, you'll be waiting a long time.”  
  
Starscream muttered something under his breath. It might have been a curse.  
  
Megatron's eyes narrowed. “You and I will be having a discussion,” he said in a low, even tone. “But for now, I think this particular matter has reached its end.” He turned toward Starscream and Blurr, his feathers twitching.  
  
Blurr might have inched a bit further into Starscream’s embrace.  
  
“Human, you will return to the university in the morning,” Megatron said, his tone brooking no argument. “It is too late to escort you tonight, and I won't risk the safety of one of my flock to do so. You can remain here in the medical center.”  
  
Blurr swallowed thickly. “Is there an option B?” he asked with a sideways look to Ratchet, who best resembled a volcano about to erupt.  
  
“He can stay with me,” Starscream said, his body warm and welcoming behind Blurr. “That is, if it is acceptable to him.”  
  
“It is,” Blurr was quick to say before Megatron insisted on something else. Besides, he and Starscream really needed to have a conversation, and without someone else listening to them.  
  
“Then it's settled.” Megatron waved them away, his focus shifting to Ratchet. “Dismissed.”  
  
Starscream dipped his head in a show of respect, and then he urged Blurr out of the room ahead of him. Blurr last got a glimpse of Megatron and Ratchet glaring daggers at each other.  
  
“Well, that was uncomfortable,” Starscream said once they were in the hallway, heading away from the medical center.  
  
“What was that?” Blurr asked.  
  
Starscream rubbed at his face. “There's a lot about harpy culture you don't know. Megatron is our leader, our Liege. Ratchet is the Chief Medic, but he's still supposed to be subordinate to Megatron. Sometimes, he forgets that.”  
  
“Ah.” It kind of made sense. “So when you told me harpies don't have women and men, is it a size thing?”  
  
“Yes. For the most part. There are some exceptions.” Starscream sighed and paused outside a bright red curtain. He lifted it, and gestured Blurr inside. “This is my nest.”  
  
Blurr freed a little whistle when he got his first look. “Cozy.” The woven walls and shelves filled with interesting items caught his eyes first, but it was the massive pool of pillows and blankets in the center of the room that invited him in.  
  
“It's small, but I am unmated, and I have no fledglings. It is as big as I need it to be,” Starscream said as the heavy curtain swung shut behind him.  
  
“No mate, hm?” Blurr repeated as he headed toward the nest-shaped bed and circled it. “Is that a requirement?”  
  
Starscream shook his head. “Not in this flock. Kaon is as non-traditional as they come. Vos, where I hail, is much, much different. Had I stayed, I would already be mated and carrying right now.”  
  
“Do you regret leaving?”  
  
“No. Never.” Starscream's tone was firm.  
  
“That bad, huh?”  
  
“Worse.” Starscream's eyes darkened before he shook his head and looked at Blurr. “I came to Kaon because I could be free here. I could be what I wanted without my class restricting me.”  
  
Blurr nodded. “I'm glad you could get away.” They had the space of the bed between them, he noticed. He wondered if it was on purpose. “I don't get what it has to do with me though. I mean, I get being curious about humans, but I don't get what you were doing with me.”  
  
Starscream's plumage rustled. “It’s true I always wanted to study the humans, but that has nothing to do with what I experienced with you,” he said. “You fascinated me from the beginning, not as a human, but as a person, as Blurr. Who you are. The way I feel when I look at you.”  
  
Blurr chewed on his bottom lip. “Did you mean it?” He hoped he didn’t have to clarify.  
  
“I have never meant anything more in my entire life.” Starscream circled around the nest toward Blurr. “And I never imagined you'd think I was using you, otherwise I would have left, with or without Liege Megatron's permission.”  
  
Blurr's face colored. “It was poor timing.” He scrubbed a hand down his face. “And I guess I don’t come without my own baggage. Maybe I blew things out of proportion, I don’t know.” He sighed. “I react badly to certain things.”  
  
“We all have our sore spots,” Starscream murmured. “If the situation had been the other way around, I’m not so sure I would’ve reacted any better.”  
  
Blurr swallowed thickly.  
  
Starscream was right.  
  
“My parents,” he said, suddenly, because maybe he’d never told Starscream how he really felt about them. “They threw me out because I wouldn’t fit in their mold. I haven’t heard from them since I accepted the scholarship and moved to Kaon. Because I’m a good runner, you know? And well, in some circles, that makes me a thing people want. An object. I learned pretty quick not to let people close.”  
  
Did he sound bitter? Probably so. There was a lot of anger inside of him, churning and churning. He found it easier to keep people away then let them in, but he’d let Starscream get close, he’d let Starscream inside his walls. He’d allowed love to enter the equation.  
  
He’d handed Starscream his trust, and then Starscream vanished, and all Blurr had left was the self-chastisement because he should’ve known better.  
  
Blurr scraped a hand through his hair, alarmed to find his hands shaking. “You came along, and I had a friend, and then I had a lover, and I was  _happy_. I let you get close, and we  _did_  things, and then you vanished and I...” His voice cracked, and Blurr hated himself for that weakness. He rubbed the back of his hand over his nose, his breathing too sharp and rapid.  
  
“Oh, love. I am so sorry.” Starscream closed the distance between them, his hands absurdly gentle as they cradled Blurr’s face, tilting his head up. “I should have defied my Liege. I should have come to you regardless.” He pressed his forehead to Blurr’s. “I should have never left.”  
  
“Yeah, you shouldn’t have,” Blurr agreed, his voice shaking, and his knees trembling. He clutched Starscream’s sides, burying his hands in thick, vibrant feathers. “And you’re not allowed to do it again.”  
  
“Never,” Starscream breathed as he curled an arm around Blurr, wrapping him up in the warmth and shield of his feathers. Safety. “Does that mean you forgive me?”  
  
“Yeah.” Blurr sucked in a deep, shuddering breath. “I guess you really didn’t have a choice about it.” And because if he didn’t, he’d be alone again, and that was the worst.  
  
Starscream’s forehead rolled gently against his. “And us? Do you want us to end?”  
  
Blurr sucked his bottom lip into his mouth before he let it go. “No. Primus help me, I don’t, but Starscream, we gotta talk about whether or not this is going to work. We have to decide--”  
  
“Shh.” Starscream stroked his knuckles down the side of Blurr’s face. “And we will. In a minute. But right now, I really want to kiss you. May I?”  
  
Blurr’s eyes fluttered shut. “You never have to ask that.”  
  
“I think I did this time.” He stroked Blurr’s face again, leaving a tingle in his wake.  
  
Blurr was not trembling, except for the part where he was, when their lips slanted together and Starscream pressed the softest of kisses against his mouth. Starscream smelled sweet, like fruit, and there was something intoxicating about the touch of his lips. Blurr groaned and reached blindly, grasping at feathers in an attempt to get Starscream closer to him.  
  
Everything he tried to suppress, all of the emotions and feelings and needs, came rushing back tenfold. Blurr's heart pounded in his chest as he deepened the kiss, his tongue sliding into Starscream's mouth as Starscream's tongue touched his in return.  
  
Blurr’s insides tightened with need and he started to throb behind his jeans. He broke off the kiss and pressed his forehead to Starscream's. “So,” he said. “Is that big bed just for looking at or…?”  
  
Starscream chuckled, his fingers flexing on Blurr's ass. “You are most welcome to join me in it, so long as it's what you want.”  
  
“I want,” Blurr confirmed with a wriggle of his hips. “I definitely want.” Words were nice, but words could be misconstrued. He wanted the comfort of the physical intimacy, to feel Starscream’s sincerity with his body.  
  
“Are you sure?” Starscream’s forehead rolled against his, a gentle pressure that felt like a caress. “You just woke up, and you were angry with me, for good reason I mean, but still. Maybe we should talk first.”  
  
“I’m sure.” He tightened his grip on Starscream, fingers slipping past feathers to stroke over the rougher skin – if he could even call it that – beneath. “Please, Star. I need to remember this is real.”  
  
He didn’t know if he was embarrassed about how open and needy he was being, or just relieved to not have to hide it anymore. He didn’t much want to think right now, if he were being perfectly honest. He just wanted to feel Starscream against him again, remember how it felt to be with the harpy, and remind himself what he was getting into.  
  
“Whatever you want, love.” Starscream stole his lips for another kiss.  
  
Blurr moaned into it. He leaned in closer to Starscream and gave in to the grip Starscream had on him. He let himself be hauled upward, and wound his legs around Starscream’s waist. Starscream held him easily.  
  
“I’m so glad you are no longer angry with me,” Starscream said against his lips before he turned and carried Blurr toward the bed.  
  
“Don't abandon me, and it won't happen again.” Blurr carded his fingers through the soft feathers on Starscream's chest. “Seriously. Don't.”  
  
“I won't. Promise.”  
  
Starscream lowered him to the nest-bed and Blurr took the opportunity to shuck off his jacket and sweater. He spared a brief thought to his bag and his runners, but he’d go looking for them later.  
  
“This looks comfortable,” Blurr commented.  
  
Starscream grinned and reached for him. Blurr moved to join, and tripped immediately on a pillow, tumbling right into Starscream’s arms.  
  
“Oops.” Blurr laughed, and found himself staring right into beautiful red eyes. “Nice catch.”  
  
“Nice balance,” Starscream teased. His hands gently glided down Blurr's back as Blurr settled on his hips. “Do I get to see all of you this time?”  
  
Blurr's cheeks heated. “You mean, am I going to go full nude this time?”  
  
Starscream tilted his head. “Yes, that.”  
  
“I could...” He trailed off and glanced over his shoulder. What the Harpies considered a door was little more than a piece of heavy cloth. “But, um, is it… I mean, you can’t really lock that can you?”  
  
Starscream chuckled, his talons lightly scraping over Blurr’s ass. “No, I can’t. But no one will disturb us.”  
  
“Are you sure?”  
  
“Reasonably so.” Starscream warbled at him, a sound Blurr was slowly coming to recognize that meant reassurance. “If you are not comfortable, we can stop.”  
  
Blurr gnawed on the inside of his cheek. He didn’t want to stop.  
  
“No, it’s okay,” Blurr said, though he still hesitated. Less because of the not-at-all-a-door and more because Starscream hadn’t seen him fully nude yet. Blurr didn't know why he felt embarrassed about it. Starscream's mouth had been all over his dick and balls last time.  
  
A flush spread down into his neck as he reached for his t-shirt and tank, pulling both of them over his head. There was a chill in the room and the moment he tossed both aside, his skin peppered with goosebumps. His nipples pulled into little nubs.  
  
And Starscream was watching him intently.  
  
Blurr rose up on his knees to push off his jeans and boxers, too. That was followed by an awkward wiggle before he kicked them away. And then there he was, fully naked, perched on Starscream's lap, his dick getting hard under Starscream's intense scrutiny.  
  
He didn't have a single feather. What did Starscream even see in him?  
  
“So smooth,” Starscream crooned as the back of his knuckles stroked over Blurr's arms. One hand glided in, however, and caressed over Blurr's chest, brushing his nipple by happenstance. “Except here of course.”  
  
A shiver crept up Blurr's spine. His dick hardened even further.  
  
“In comparison to a harpy, yeah,” Blurr replied.  
  
Starscream chuckled, and his hands slowly returned to Blurr's hips, cupping them, so that he barely felt the prick of the harpy's talons. “I do not mind the difference,” he said, and his tongue flicked over his lips. “Come up here. I wish to taste you again.”  
  
Blurr's dick throbbed. He remembered the wet warmth of Starscream's mouth. How much attention Starscream had paid to him. How he'd left no inch of Blurr's groin unexplored. He'd pulled so many orgasms from Blurr that day, nearly wringing Blurr dry.  
  
And it had felt so one-sided because Blurr had been so cautious in exploring Starscream's body in return.  
  
He wanted this time to be different.  
  
So he wiggled his hips, planted his hands on Starscream's abdomen, and shifted down instead of up. “What if,” Blurr proposed as he shimmied down even further, “I taste you instead.”  
  
“I wouldn't be opposed,” Starscream breathed, his hips rising beneath Blurr's as though in request. “But only if you're sure. I don't want to push you, Blurr.”  
  
He grinned, his heart throbbing a little faster. “I wouldn't offer if I wasn't sure. I wanna do this for you, Star.”  
  
Starscream obediently parted his thighs so Blurr could slide between them. His featherdown was already damp. Blurr could see the head of his clava peeking out. And just below it, his antrum was dewy with growing moisture.  
  
“How curious can you be?” Starscream teased. “You looked last time.”  
  
“Yeah, but I didn't taste,” Blurr said as his fingers traced the edges of both Starscream's clava sheath and the rim of his antrum.  
  
“I distinctly remember your mouth on my clava,” Starscream retorted, even as said organ emerged from his sheath, rosy at the tip and dripping with need.  
  
Blurr grinned and wiggled until he was on his belly, his dick trapped between his belly and the pillows beneath him. He cupped Starscream's ass, which was pretty flat actually. It only looked floofy because of the feathers.  
  
“Yeah,” he agreed and he leaned closer, exhaling over Starscream's entire groin. “But I didn't get to taste this other thing.”  
  
Starscream's featherdown got even more wet. The hollow of his antrum grew very dewy, the rim of it pulling outward to reveal the dark depths.  
  
“Oh,” he said, his tone breathy. “I see.”  
  
“You don't mind?” Blurr asked, more than a little mischievous, as he pressed a light kiss to the nub at the apex of Starscream's antrum. It throbbed beneath his lips.  
  
Starscream's hips twitched in his hold. “I'm the furthest thing from protest right now. I would beg you, if you asked.”  
  
Well then.  
  
Blurr rubbed his cheek on the softer feathers around Starscream's groin and nosed his way to Starscream's antrum. The swelling folds revealed the wet depths. A tentative lick made Starscream moan, and his slick was as sweet as his come. Good to know.  
  
And that, too, made it easier for Blurr to drag his tongue up the length of Starscream's antrum, to trace the oval shape of it, and suck on the folds. His nose bumped against the little nub of flesh at the top – which was totally a clit, if Blurr had anything to say about it – and he eased his tongue past the rim, deep into Starscream's antrum.  
  
He was warm and wet and sweet. His hips danced under Blurr's ministrations. A whimper eeked from his throat as his thighs pushed further apart. Sweetness coated Blurr's tongue and that made it easier to lick deeper, to push his face against Starscream's wetness and lap at everything he could reach.  
  
Starscream squirmed beneath him, letting out all of these adorable squeaking noises. Blurr looked up and realized he was biting down on one of his knuckles, even as his other hand was ravaging a pillow. Damn, but those claws were dangerous. His feet were kneading at the pillow-bed, too and all of his feathers fluffed.  
  
Blurr grinned and mouthed his way back to Starscream's clit. He licked at it a little, and then caught it between his teeth. He barely applied any pressure, but given the way Starscream keened and arched his back, he must have liked it.  
  
Wow.  
  
Blurr's dick throbbed, spilling more pre-come onto the blanket beneath him. He could probably come just like this, licking at Starscream's sweetness while he ground down on the heavy pillow beneath his hips.  
  
“More,” Starscream all but sang. “Oh, please, Blurr. Don't stop.”  
  
“Don't plan on it,” he murmured against Starscream's clit even as Starscream's hips rolled up toward him, begging for more.  
  
Blurr shifted, freeing up one hand, and while he was laving attention to that clit-nub, he slid two fingers into Starscream's antrum. Starscream’s walls fluttered around him, and more of that dewey fluid welled up, soaking Starscream's soft feathers.  
  
His clava fully emerged, swaying with the motion of Starscream's body. Pre-fluid dribbled from the tip, the angled and rounded head swollen with need. It looked like it needed attention, too.  
  
Blurr licked a line up Starscream's antrum, flirted over his nub, and then licked the length of Starscream's clava. He sucked the tip into his mouth, sweet pre-fluid spilling over his tongue. He swallowed it greedily, a low moan echoing in his throat as he took Starscream deeper into his mouth.  
  
Starscream hissed a cry of pleasure and went still, careful as always not to hurt. He trembled beneath Blurr as his clava throbbed on Blurr's tongue.  
  
He was only able to take about three-quarters of Starscream's clava into his mouth, but he made up for it by rubbing his thumb over Starscream's nub. Maybe, with enough practice, he could deepthroat Star the way Starscream could deepthroat him.  
  
And maybe, someday, he could fit Starscream's clava inside of him. Starscream was long and thick, but if he was careful, Blurr bet he could do it.  
  
His internals clenched at the thought. He imagined Starscream over him, all power and beauty, but also care as he gently thrust into Blurr.  
  
He shivered.  
  
Blurr nibbled at the tip of Starscream's clava and was rewarded with a breathy keen as Starscream shook beneath him, deep in the throes of pleasure. “Hey,” he said, conversationally. “Do you think, maybe, one day you could do me?”  
  
Starscream's eyelids fluttered. “What?”  
  
Blurr licked his lips and stroked his fingers down the length of Starscream's clava. “I'm kinda curious. I wanna see what this feels like, you know, inside me.”  
  
The length throbbed. Another pearl of pre-fluid seeped free.  
  
“I don't… I don't know if that's wise, Blurr,” Starscream asked as his talons rent a hole in the nearest pillow. “I could hurt you.”  
  
“I trust you not to,” Blurr replied and returned his attention to Starscream's clit-nub, mouthing it with his lips and tapping it with his tongue.  
  
Another keen warbled out of Starscream's throat. He was seeping fluid now, and the sweet smell of it made Blurr's mouth watered.  
  
“Maybe next time,” Blurr said, and licked around the opening of Starscream's antrum again, feeling the flutter of the folds against his tongue.  
  
All of the weirdness was gone. Starscream was too responsive, too eager and beautiful, for Blurr to feel anything but excited and aroused.  
  
“Nnnn.” Starscream's response was entirely non-verbal. His hips bucked. “Blurr, that's good. That's, Adaptus, that's really good. But – nnnnn – now I want you inside me.”  
  
He grinned and nibbled on Starscream's clit-nub. “Maybe I want to see you come like this,” he purred and lapped at Starscream's antrum. The sweetness of the sticky damp rolled across his tongue. Even the feathers were softer than he expected them to be, more like a really silky fur.  
  
Starscream shivered. His thighs trembled, legs drawing inward to press at Blurr's shoulders. “But I want you to feel good, too.”  
  
Blurr rolled his hips against the pillow, orgasm creeping up on him slow but sure. “I am,” he murmured as he went back to Starscream's clit-nub and flicked the tip of his tongue over it. “Trust me, I am.”  
  
Something that sounded like a growl echoed in Starscream's chest. And then Blurr felt hands fold over his and the gentle prick on the back of his wrists. He blinked and looked up just as Starscream surged upward, with more flexibility than Blurr realized the Harpies had.  
  
What….?  
  
His world turned upside down in a flurry of feathers. Blurr shouted and flailed as he suddenly found himself with his back on the nest of pillows and Starscream on top of him, his legs folded beneath him and his groin brushing over Blurr's groin. He had careful talons wrapped around Blurr's wrist, pinning his hands to the pillow.  
  
Starscream hunched forward and sealed his mouth over Blurr's, even as he rocked his hips, his antrum dripping on Blurr's rock-hard dick. Blurr moaned into the kiss as Starscream teased him, the heat of his antrum rubbing up and down Blurr's length.  
  
Starscream was making that rolling, purr-growl again. His feathers were rustling and his fingers twitching around Blurr's wrists. But he was making obvious effort not to do harm, despite the fact Blurr could feel his thighs trembling.  
  
And then Starscream shifted, caught the head of Blurr's dick against his antrum, and rolled his hips down, sliding Blurr into him. Blurr whined in his throat, his hips rocking upward as his dick was swallowed by wet heat.  
  
Starscream's sharp canines grazed his lips and then Starscream nosed his way to Blurr's throat, inhaling deeply. “Sorry,” he said as he ground down, his antrum squeezing on Blurr's dick and making it throb.  
  
“For riding me?” Blurr shivered as teeth scraped over his throat, like a threat of danger, but he trusted Starscream not to do anything. “Why would you apologize for that?”  
  
“Shouldn't have taken control,” Starscream mumbled, but that didn't stop him from rocking his hips harder, his entire body trembling above Blurr.  
  
“Why not?”  
  
Starscream didn't reply. Blurr let it go. It was probably another harpy thing he didn't understand. He'd worry about it later.  
  
Right now, he needed to make Starscream come. And hopefully last long enough to do that. A task easier said than done.  
  
Starscream was so hot and wet around him. The walls of his antrum seemed to squeeze around Blurr’s dick, as though milking him for his release. He kept making all of these sounds, soft little moans and hums and warbles, and it was hot as hell.  
  
Blurr gave a token tug to his wrists. “Let me touch you,” he said as teeth grazed his throat, not breaking the skin but enough to make him take note of their presence. He shivered as Starscream’s exhalations caressed his skin. “Come on, Star.”  
  
The harpy purred and finally unwound his talons from Blurr’s wrist, leaving him free to skate his hands up Starscream’s sides. His feathers were so soft, tickling to Blurr’s palms, but he still radiated heat. Blurr stroked back down, his hands finding Starscream’s hips, giving them a squeeze. His dick throbbed in Starscream’s antrum, his feet struggling to find purchase in the plush pillows.  
  
Starscream sank down, taking Blurr deep, his hips making little circles as his antrum rippled. It felt so damn good that Blurr shivered, his fingers digging in at Starscream’s feathers. He pulled Starscream onto him, rolling up rather than thrusting, pleasure spiking hard through his body, as he drank in the sight of Starscream’s pleasure.  
  
Feathers fluttered and flared. Starscream’s eyes were half-lidded and bright with heat. His lips were parted with little breathy exhales and moans. His clava bobbed, dripping precome, some of it splattering onto Blurr’s belly, and smelling sweet.  
  
“Kiss me,” Blurr urged, because he couldn’t reach Starscream no matter how he tried. He needed the harpy to close the distance. He slid one hand to Starscream’s clava, giving it a squeeze.  
  
Starscream moaned and the feathers on his crown lifted. He bent over, almost double, his nose brushing over Blurr’s, his exhalations hot and humid. “I love you,” he murmured as his lips touched Blurr’s in an almost kiss.  
  
Blurr’s insides squeezed. He shifted his hand from gripping Starsream’s hips, to curling around him, trying to tug him closer. It was less thrust and push now, as it was slow and steady grind and rock, and it felt so damn good. His heart pounded, his dick throbbed, and Starscream said it as if he meant it.  
  
“Kiss me,” Blurr said, again, and moaned when Starscream obeyed, slanting their mouths together, his tongue tangling with Blurr’s. There was something desperate and hungry in the kiss, to where Blurr felt the bite of Starscream’s teeth.  
  
He stroked Starscream harder, root to tip, squeezing with every upward pull. He rolled up into Starscream, grinding deep, and Starscream met him. Release swept over him like that, slow and steady, a throbbing wave of heat that spread out from his groin and carried him away in ecstasy.  
  
Blurr moaned into the kiss as he came, milked by Starscream’s antrum. His grip on Starscream tightened, as did the heat of the kiss. Starscream made a sound above him, a cross between a warble and a moan, and then Blurr’s hand was splattered with come, Starscream’s antrum squeezing down tight in a sinuous wave.  
  
Starscream breathed against his mouth, hot and urgent, pressing his forehead to Blurr’s. His thighs trembled where they pressed to Blurr’s body. His hips moved in slower and slower undulations until they stilled, Blurr’s softening dick resting within him.  
  
“I love you, too,” Blurr murmured as he slid both of his hands up Starscream’s side, forgetting that one was covered in slick. Oops.  
  
Well, they could both take a bath.  
  
Starscream’s cheek rubbed against his before he shifted, sliding off Blurr and into a recline in the nest. He wriggled around, tugging and pulling Blurr on top of him, covering him with an arm like a feather blanket.  
  
Blurr grinned and let himself be manhandled. It was never a terrible thing to be held close to his lover, and Starscream was both warm and soft. It was much better than the loneliness he’d suffered for nigh on three weeks.  
  
He snuggled in closer, listening to the rapid beat of Starscream's heart, sweat slicking his body and probably dampening Starscream's feathers, too. Their legs tangled together.  
  
Blurr couldn't remember the last time he felt so content.  
  
And yet, the nagging realization that this could probably not last would not leave him alone. He wanted to relax, perhaps kiss Starscream, either initiate another round or sink into sleep. But all he could think about was the future, or lack of one.  
  
If the week had been this hard, what about a lifetime? Could they last like this? What happened when he graduated? What did the future even mean?  
  
He nosed into the hollow of Starscream's throat, a lump forming in his own. “Starscream?”  
  
“Hm?” the harpy purred, his arms tightening around Blurr.  
  
“What are we doing?”  
  
Starscream chuckled and rolled his head, his chin rubbing across the top of Blurr's head. “Right now, we're laying in my nest and cuddling. Surely the humans do such a thing.”  
  
Blurr gnawed on his bottom lip. “I meant, what are we doing together? Where is this going?” His chest hurt, the lump in his throat growing larger. “Can we even be together?”  
  
Starscream shifted beneath him, drawing himself up so that Blurr had to reposition himself as well, but at least now he could look into Starscream's eyes. “There's nothing stopping us,” the harpy replied as he nudged the knuckle of a primary finger under Blurr's chin. “There's no one to tell us 'no'.”  
  
“Just because we can, does that mean we should?” Blurr remembered how angry Ratchet had been. He'd never heard of a harpy being with a human before either.  
  
“Do you not want to?” Starscream asked, and there was an edge of caution in his voice. As though he feared what answer Blurr would give.  
  
“I mean… is it wrong?” He had come on his groin and stickiness everywhere, and he was cuddled up with a feather-covered being, and he only just now wondered if maybe he was committing some kind of cosmic crime.  
  
What did that say about his priorities?  
  
Starscream pressed their foreheads together. “It's only wrong if it feels that way to you. For my part, I had not known I could be happy until I met you.”  
  
Blurr swallowed thickly. “It doesn't feel wrong. I mean, I think it should because it is kind of weird. But I guess the weirdest part of it is that it feels right.” His cheeks burned with embarrassment. He carded his fingers through Starscream's feathers, holding on tight.  
  
“Yes. It does.” Starscream nuzzled him, and Blurr soaked up his warmth. “I want to see where it takes us.”  
  
Blurr drew in a heavy breath. “What if there’s nowhere for us to go? We need to talk about a lot of things. We have to look at the reality of--”  
  
“Blurr.” Starscream slipped back so he could look into Blurr’s eyes. “I’m not unaware of the situation. But we’ll talk. We’ll figure it out. I’m sure of it.”  
  
He wished he could have Starscream’s faith.  
  
“We just have to decide together.” Starscream smiled gently. “To that end, why don’t you stay here in the Aerie for a few days? See what life is like?”  
  
Blurr tilted his head. “Megatron said I have to go back in the morning.”  
  
“I’ll talk to him. Explain the situation.” Starscream lay down, pulling Blurr into his arms and stroking along his back. “Once he understands you’re not a threat, he’ll change his mind.”  
  
“He didn’t seem like he’d be willing to let me hang around,” Blurr muttered, thinking of the anger he saw flashing between Megatron and Ratchet. “I don’t want to get on his bad side either. You weren’t kidding when you said you were pretty small for a harpy. He’s huge.”  
  
Starscream chuckled. “Yes. That is because Megatron, like Ratchet, is what we call a bara. While I’m of a type known as smols.” His voice took on a bit of a lecturing tone, though far more interesting than Richard’s. “They are classifications based on size rather than gender as we are all the same biologically.”  
  
“Biologically,” Blurr repeated. Now, he hadn’t taken many science courses except for the basic ones, but that rang something at the back of his mind. He squinted. “So if you don’t have females, but you all have birginas, does that mean any of you can get pregnant?”  
  
Starscream sighed and gave him a look. “First of all, not a birgina, as you well know. Secondly, the answer to that question is yes, though we refer to it as carrying.”  
  
Blurr blinked. The difference in terms went over his head. “Wait,” he said. “Could I have knocked you up? Should I have used a condom?”  
  
“You’re safe,” Starscream said with a laugh, some of his offense visibly bleeding away. “We’re not genetically compatible, and I’m not presently in heat.”  
  
“Oh.” He wasn't sure how he felt about that. Yeah, he was in school right now so he didn't want kids at the moment, but knowing it wasn't possible at all was kind of disappointing.  
  
Well, he supposed one of the other Harpies could always lend a hand. Or clava. Or sperm. Or whatever.  
  
Blurr's face burned.  
  
Wait.  
  
Did that mean he was actually thinking about this in long terms?  
  
Oh, Primus. He was.  
  
He considered Starscream his one and only. He considered Starscream, a harpy, a being of another species, to be the one he wanted to spend the rest of his life with.  
  
Wow.  
  
“Blurr?”  
  
He nibbled on his bottom lip and rested his head on his folded arms. He didn't want Starscream to read the emotion in his eyes.  
  
“I'll bet baby Harpies are cute,” he said, instead, to conceal the rapid flurry of emotions suddenly arising within him.  
  
“We call them hatchlings and then fledgelings, but yes, they are cute. I will show you some tomorrow, if you like.”  
  
Blurr closed his eyes, listening to Starscream's heart beat beneath him. “Sure. You can show me everything in the aerie. Finally educate me so I don't sound like an idiot.”  
  
“You could never,” Starscream said.  
  
One hand left Blurr's body, but it returned with a blanket, which Starscream threw over Blurr. It was small and thin, nothing that would cover Starscream, and Blurr wondered if Starscream had gotten for a future fledgling, or if he'd gotten it for Blurr.  
  
He wasn't sure what he felt about that either.  
  
His stomach suddenly grumbled. Blurr’s face flushed with heat.  
  
Starscream chuckled. “Are you hungry?”  
  
“Well, I did bike all the way here, then spent who knows how long unconscious. I don’t know how long it’s been since I ate,” Blurr grumbled. “I’m an athlete, remember?”  
  
“I do.” Starscream’s hand stroked down his back. “I do not have much in my personal stores, but I can offer you anything there. Though you’ll have to let me up so I can get it.”  
  
And therein was his dilemma. Blurr was warm and comfortable atop Starscream. He didn’t really want to move. His stomach was noisy, but honestly, the fatigue was more annoying than the mild hunger. He wouldn’t die from lack of a meal.  
  
“Mm.” He rubbed his face on Starscream’s chest, feathers tickling at his nose. “Nah. I expect a big breakfast though.”  
  
Starscream warbled deep in his chest. Blurr felt the vibrations of it against his cheek. “Whatever you want.”  
  
Blurr grinned and closed his eyes. He nuzzled closer to Starscream, leeching off the harpy’s heat. Starscream was a little thin, had been since the molt several weeks back, but he was still very warm. And snuggly. Almost enough to make Blurr forget how angry he’d been.  
  
“Is it time for sleep?” Starscream asked. He sounded amused as his fingers drifted upward to card through Blurr’s hair.  
  
He was always so careful, so aware of his size, his claws, the danger he presented.  
  
“Mm hm.” Blurr breathed evenly, in and out. “So hush. It’s been a long day.” And he hadn’t slept well. He blamed Starscream for that.  
  
“Yes, Zippy.”  
  
The affectionate nickname made Blurr’s heart throb. He tucked that emotion away, however, and snuggled in against Starscream. He let the sound of the harpy’s core beat, the soft purring, and the sensation of Starscream caressing him, carrying him into sleep instead.  
  


***


	21. Chapter 21

Morning dawned, and Blurr woke feeling sore, exhausted, and parched. The latter might have had something to do with the fact he was hot, so very hot, and sweaty, too. Sometime during the night, he and Starscream had switched places, and now he lay with Starscream draped atop him, feathers a very, very warm blanket. Blurr was squished in the pillows, his sweaty skin sticking to the woven fabric.

Guh.

“Nnn, Starscream.” He pushed at crimson feathers, unsure of which part of Starscream was even in reach. His belly maybe? “Wake up.”

Starscream shifted and purred. Feathers tickled Blurr’s skin. He squirmed.

“Wake up!” Blurr said, louder. He wriggled, but his feet were tangled in the blanket Starscream had draped over him, and yep, there it was. Morning wood present and accounted for.

He shivered as his dick slowly hardened, the tip of it rubbing Starscream’s feathers. He was so soft and warm, and he felt so damn good against Blurr.

“Why? It’s not like we have anywhere to be,” Starscream said in a sleepy voice. But he moved, feathers rustling as he lifted his weight away, but not before brushing their noses together. “Mmm. Good morning.”

“I’m hot,” Blurr complained, and wrinkled his nose. He probably didn’t smell that great either. He needed a bath.

Starscream chuckled. “Yes, you are.” He rubbed his cheek against Blurr’s. “I could get used to this.” He shifted, his belly rubbing Blurr’s dick. “And so could you, I see.”

Blurr absolutely did not blush.

“That does it on its own.” He squirmed. “But I wasn’t joking. I’m really hot, Star. I need some breathing room.” He felt like he were in a sauna. “And a bath. And breakfast.”

Starscream nuzzled him. “And would you like some help with this?” He straddled Blurr’s thighs, and rubbed the back of his knuckles down Blurr’s dick. “In addition to those other things, I mean.”

Blurr’s ears burned. He resisted the urge to reach down and cover himself, even as a wash of cooler air wafted over his body, giving him a chill. His nipples pebbled as his belly flip-flopped. Starscream looked down at him with nothing short of admiration and want.

“You can just ignore it,” he said.

Starscream chuckled and dragged his knuckles up and down again. “Are you sure?” His tongue swept over his lips, his eyes darkening to crimson. “I’d hate for it to go to waste.”

Blurr grabbed a pillow and threw it over his face. “You’re ridiculous,” he said, but his hips pumped forward, his dick throbbing a happy rhythm.

“Your clava doesn’t seem to think so.”

Starscream’s weight shifted. The pillows dipped around Blurr. He didn’t look, but he groaned when heat exhaled over his sensitive flesh.

“Mmm.” Starscream purred and lapped at his slit. “What an interesting breakfast.”

“Oh my god!” Blurr grabbed the pillow covering his face and threw it at the harpy, though Starscream dodged at the last second.

Starscream chuckled, looking up at him with mischief in his eyes. “What?” he said, tone full of innocence, which his actions did not match. He dragged his tongue up the length of Blurr’s dick, ending with a flick to the crown. “Do you not approve of my choice?”

“Not when you call my dick breakfast!” Blurr said, but it didn’t come out as growly as he’d hoped. Instead, it eked into a moan as Starscream closed his lips around the crown of Blurr’s dick and suckled.

Hngh.

Blurr’s hips pumped up, not that they went far with Starscream’s hands cradling his ass. His face burned with both arousal and embarrassment, especially when Starscream sucked him deeper, making a happy little hum in his throat.

Primus, he sounded like he was enjoying himself. His teeth gently scraped along the length of Blurr’s dick as he slowly, but surely, guided Blurr deeper into his mouth. So deep the head of his cock hit the back of Starscream’s throat, and he gasped as he felt Starscream’s throat flex around him. Starscream’s nose was buried in his groin, spit soaking his lips.

He was the hottest fucking thing, and it wasn’t fair, damn it.

Blurr’s heels kicked at the pillows. His body broke out in a sweat, heat attacking him from all directions, as Starscream sucked him like a pro. He worked his throat, and lashed his tongue over Blurr’s dick. And he kept making these sounds. These moans and hums and purrs.

He whimpered, back arching, and he groped for another pillow. He hauled it close and squeezed his arms around it, unable to thrust up against Starscream. All he could do was tremble and writhe in the pillows, his eyes squeezed shut as his dick throbbed and throbbed and dribbled pre-come down Starscream’s throat.

“Star...” Blurr moaned, his teeth gritting, his hips twitching in Starscream’s grip. Pleasure thundered through his body, his stomach muscles clenching, his thighs trembling.

Starscream hummed around his dick, making all these obscene slurping noises. His talons pricked at Blurr’s bare thighs, even as wisps of air teased Blurr’s sweat-slick skin.

He sucked Blurr down deep again and then swallowed around the head of his dick, over and over again. Blurr hissed a moan through clenched teeth, squeezing the pillow against his chest. Stars danced behind his eyes as the tightening in his gut finally exploded. His hips jerked up in Starscream’s grip as he shot his load down Starscream’s throat, tasting blood when he bit his lips.

He was going to die like this. Body quaking with pleasure, Starscream’s mouth hot and wet around his dick, and harpy talons pricking at his bare thighs.

He slipped from Starscream’s mouth, but not without Star pressing a parting kiss to it. Blurr peeled his eyes open and peered over the pillow. Starscream had a satisfied look on his face and he rubbed his cheek on Blurr’s thigh, making all these purring noises.

“Better?” he asked.

Blurr groaned and thumped back into the pillows. “You are a menace.”

Starscream chuckled, his exhalations teasing Blurr’s softening dick. “That’s generally not how people say thank you, Blurr.”

“Are you seriously lecturing me on my manners?” Blurr asked, only to suck in a breath as Starscream’s tongue lapped at his dick.

Oh, great. There he went again. Blurr shivered as the wet warmth of Starscream’s mouth attended to his groin. It suckled the last bits of come from his dick, then licked over his balls and the skin around his genitals.

Weird harpies.

“Only because mine are impeccable,” Starscream said, each word resulting in a warm puff against Blurr’s groin. “After all, I’m cleaning my plate.”

Blurr groaned, louder this time. “I think we need to work on your sense of humor.”

Starscream laughed, gave one last lap to Blurr’s dick and then pushed upright, uncurling his hands from Blurr’s hips. He stroked the back of his knuckles down Blurr’s abdomen, and Blurr peeled his eyes open. His heart thudded in his chest, and sweat coated his body in a thin film. He could smell himself, and he was pretty damn ripe.

“My sense of humor is fine,” Starscream said. He crawled up Blurr’s body, one hand plucking away the pillow to toss it aside, before he rubbed his cheek against Blurr’s. “Feel better?”

Blurr’s hands slid up Starscream’s side, carding through feathers. “Yes and no.” He squirmed in the pillows, which clung to his sweaty skin. “I need a bath.’

“We don’t have showers here, but I can take you down to the hot springs,” Starscream murmured, his lips grazing the side of Blurr’s face. “It’s public though.”

“Gah, is everything public with you guys?” Blurr asked, as Starscream’s exhalations teased his ear.

Starscream laughed and nipped his earlobe. “We do not have the same hang-ups about privacy and nudity that humans do. If we wait until late tonight, however, it should be deserted.”

“That long?”

Starscream pressed a kiss to the hollow under his ear. “I have some water and a cloth if that’ll do.”

Blurr shivered. “Yes, please.” He felt sticky and unclean and maybe Starscream couldn’t understand because he was covered in feathers, but damn it, Blurr wanted a bath. He wasn’t accustomed to being dirty.

Starscream pulled back, his lips curved. “Very well,” he said. “And breakfast after, I assume?”

Blurr’s stomach growled, loudly and obnoxiously, offering all the answer Starscream needed. He flushed, but honestly, they’d done so many embarrassing things this morning, he was going to run out of reasons to blush.

Speaking of…

“So do you, um, want me to return the favor?” he asked, as he peered between their bodies, trying to see Starscream’s groin in the shadows. He couldn’t tell if the harpy was aroused or not. Did harpies even get morning wood?

Starscream purred another laugh. “I’m fine,” he said. “But thank you for the courteous offer.”

Starscream stood, easily balancing despite the unstable nature of a pile of pillows beneath him. He offered a hand to Blurr.

“Breakfast and bath?” he prompted with a wriggle of his talons.

“Please,” Blurr said, hoping he didn’t sound too desperate. He rested his fingers over Starscream’s, always impressed by the harpy’s delicacy as he lifted Blurr up and out of the nest of pillows.

He didn’t look behind him. He knew all of the pillows probably needed to be laundered. Evidence of their debauchery no doubt stained the brightly colored fabric. How embarrassing.

Free of the pillows, a light breeze ghosted over Blurr’s skin, and he shivered. His sweat cooled all too quickly, and it still felt odd to know that Starscream’s nest, his room, was not air tight. The branches were woven together, forming a lattice, and one corner of Starscream’s nest was smooth bark, as though he were nestled up against the tree’s trunk.

It felt so cozy Blurr kept forgetting he was technically in a tree.

A small hollow made of woven limbs jutted out from one of the walls. In it rested a medium sized bowl filled with water. Hand towels hung on jutting branches nearby.

“Sorry it’s cold,” Starscream said as Blurr grabbed one of the towels and immediately dipped it into the water.

“Better than nothing.” Blurr slapped the wet towel against his chest and wiped away the dried sweat. “Besides, I seem to remember you promising me some hot springs?”

He felt, more than saw, the warm drag of knuckles up the curve of his ass and to his lower back. “Yes. When I can get you some privacy,” Starscream murmured.

Blurr shivered again. It had nothing to do with the chill. He swallowed thickly and focused on cleaning himself, firmly telling his dick to stand down.

“Privacy is good,” he said, his voice husky, before… uh… other problems became known. “And um, whatever you use for a bathroom around here?”

Starscream chuckled and nuzzled against him from behind. “I’ll show you that as well,” he said with another laugh. “I am nothing if not a good host.” He pressed a kiss to the back of Blurr’s shoulder. “What do you want for breakfast? I have fruit, nuts, and more of the same.”

“Whatever you got.” Blurr’s skin tingled where Starscream’s lips touched. “I’m not that picky.”

“Good to know.” Starscream kissed him at the base of his neck, lips lingering, before he pulled back. “Let me see what I have.”

Blurr looked over his shoulder as Starscream moved away, his heart thumping at the sight. Starscream was so gorgeous, and now here Blurr was, in the aerie. He’d wanted to visit it for ages.

He turned his attention back to getting clean, frowning as he had to pull on his sweat-soaked clothes.

“Do you know where my bag is?” Blurr asked as he tugged on his t-shirt, but forewent the tank top. It had soaked up the worst of the sweat and smelled as a result.

“Bag?” Starscream gestured Blurr to join him at a table, one that had been crafted entirely of wood and woven branches. Two low, backless stools perched around it.

“Yeah, I brought one with me. It has some clean clothes in it, my cell phone. Stuff.” Blurr shrugged. “Probably has my runners, too.”

Starscream swept his tail feathers aside and sat. “I’ll ask Ratchet. I don’t remember seeing a bag.”

“Probably dropped it in the confusion,” Blurr said with a sigh. He took the other stool, feeling like a kid at an adult table as it came up to his chest.

Starscream nudged the bowl toward him. “Take whatever you like. We can look for your bag in a bit.”

Blurr nodded and peered into the bowl. There were all kinds of things in it: nuts and fruits, some berries, too. Stuff he recognized, and stuff he didn’t. Some he wondered where they got it from. Oranges didn’t grow around here. He grabbed a handful of pinenuts and two peaches to start.

“Blurr.”

He nibbled at one peach and looked up at Starscream, who was giving him an odd, almost concerned look. “What’s wrong?”

Starscream leaned against the table. “Can we talk?”

Unease churned in his belly. “About?”

“What you said last night.”

The bite of peach went down like a lump. “I said a lot of things.” Blurr licked juice from his lip and stared down at the peach, his appetite ebbing away. “You’ll have to be more specific.”

Starscream grabbed a crabapple from the basket and twirled it around his fingers. “Last night, you told me your parents made you leave the house.”

A cold chill crawled down Blurr’s spine. “Yeah,” he said, and examined the flesh of the peach like it held all the secrets. “Humans are weird. Things that shouldn’t matter, do. Bad enough that I didn’t want to be what they wanted me to be, but then it turns out, hey, I like men, too. And that wasn’t acceptable.”

“I don’t understand.”

Blurr sighed and made himself look up at Starscream. “I’m the oldest son, and my parents are very traditional. They wanted me to follow a path they laid out for me, and at some point, I realized I didn’t want to live like that, so I didn’t.” He shrugged, though it didn’t feel nonchalant. “They could have lived with me not being a lawyer or a doctor or whatever. But then they caught me kissing one of my male best friends and that was the last straw.”

Starscream frowned. “They disowned you because you are attracted to males?”

“Pretty much.” Blurr scratched the back of his head with his free hand. “I mean, I like women, too. But I didn’t want to be forced to be with one. And I tend to lean toward men anyway.” He shrugged again. “So that’s why I don’t go home. They don’t want me there. Luckily, I got this scholarship that gives me a full ride to Kaon, and I get some prize money from the races, so I can take care of myself.”

One of Starscream’s hands slid across the table, fingers gently touching his wrist. “But they are your family.”

Blurr swallowed thickly. “Not anymore,” he muttered and sighed, pressing the heel of his free hand to his temple. “I’ve got a younger brother. He’s their golden child now. Their only male child if anyone asks. My sister makes them proud, too. I’m just the kid they don’t want anymore.”

“I’m sorry.” Starscream’s fingers curled around Blurr’s wrist, where the peach had started to drip.

Blurr shook his head. “I’ll get over it,” he said as he slipped his hand free and took a huge bite of the peach, forcing it down. “I don’t need anyone who doesn’t want to accept me.”

Starscream looked at him, his eyes dark. He folded his arms against the table. “I never told you how I ended up in Kaon, did I?”

“Not in any detail. You just said that it was better than living in your old flock. Vos, I think?” So many strange names. They tended to tangle together in Blurr’s head.

Starscream’s shoulders hunched. “The rules in Vos are much more rigid than they are here. I am very atypical for a smol in my old flock. I am not deferential, I do not bow, and I was not content to serve as a decoration for my arranged mate.”

“Wait a minute. Arranged?” Blurr wrinkled his nose. “So you had your mate picked out for you?”

“By my parents, yes.” Starscream’s feathers slicked down, his expression darkening further. “I was given to a bara they felt would keep me in line, manage my behavior. Like yours, they could not accept me for who I was.”

Given.

The term made Blurr cold to the core, and his stomach churned. He didn’t like how Starscream hunched, how he shivered as though afraid. He especially didn’t like how the word ‘given’ conjured up terrible, terrible things.

Starscream’s gaze wandered away. “I didn’t give them the chance to disown me. I left, despite only knowing of a rumor of Kaon. I decided dying in the world was better than living in the chains they gave me.”

Starscream sighed and shifted his attention back to Blurr, his smile soft and sad. “Maybe that’s why I was drawn to you in the first place. Some part of me must have known that we had this in common.”

“I think you escaped the worst of it,” Blurr said, but he managed a smile of his own, shaky though it was. “And I’m glad you squirmed your way into my life. I didn’t realize how lonely I was until you came around.” As long as they were being honest anyway.

Starscream’s smile, bigger now and more genuine, was worth it though. “I don’t regret leaving Vos or taking the chance, but there are times I do miss my family. I have a younger brother, too, you know.” The harpy chuckled. “He used to follow me around like a second shadow.”

“So did mine.” Blurr inhaled and exhaled in a slow whoosh before his grumbling stomach reminded him of his breakfast, and he started nibbling on the peach again, this time with bigger bites. “You ever think about going back?”

“No.” Starscream started to peel his apple with his talons, flicking the rind to the floor. “I worry sometimes about Skywarp, but other than that, I have no desire to return to Vos. Kaon is my home, the only aerie that has ever truly felt like one.”

Blurr devoured the rest of the first peach and started in on the second. “Do… uh… I have anything to do with that?”

Starscream smiled. “More than you know,” he said and the feathers of his crown started to lift again, unclamping from their defensive hold earlier. “Are you enjoying your breakfast?”

Blurr laughed. “Yeah. S’good.” He threw a handful of pinenuts into his mouth, and crunched noisily on them. “But is this stuff seriously all you ever eat? Other than cinnamon rolls, I mean.”

Starscream snorted as he sliced the crabapple with a talon and fed himself little slivers. “You are never going to let me live that down.”

“Nope.”

“We eat other things.” Starscream’s tongue flicked over his lips, licking away the juice, and Blurr tried not to stare. “But not meat. The majority of our diet is fruit, vegetables, nuts, and berries.”

Just like a bird, Blurr thought. He grinned to himself. Teasing Starscream about the harpy’s similarity to birds was one of his favorite pastimes. Starscream got so ruffled about it! Adorable.

Blurr swiped the back of his hand over his mouth, wiping away the sticky sweetness of the peach. “No wonder you’re so sweet then.”

Starscream chuckled. “Have I mentioned how much I love that you notice how sweet I am?”

Blurr’s stomach flip flopped. His face heated. He opened his mouth to speak, but suddenly, the heavy curtain that served as Starscream’s door swept aside. He stared, shocked, as a bright crimson, orange, and yellow harpy strode inside. He was smaller than Starscream, but much brighter. And his feathers were floofier, too.

“Good morning!” the harpy sang in a cheerful tone. “I’m not interrupting anything, am I?”

Something in the new arrival’s tone, however, spoke of glee. As though he’d hoped to catch them in the act. In fact, he swung his bright blue eyes around to find Blurr, peering at him curiously.

“Good morning, Rodimus,” Starscream said, his tone instantly dripping with irritation. “Is there something I can help you with?”

The bright harpy – Rodimus apparently – huffed. “Now, is that any way to speak to your Liege-Consort?”

“It is when it’s you.” Starscream popped a handful of candied nuts into his mouth and offered his fruit-bowl to Rodimus. “Did your mate feed you or did you come to pilfer my pantry again?”

Rodimus’ nose twitched. He peered into the bowl. “No raspberries?”

“You know they’re not in season yet.”

“Pity.” Rodimus plucked out a crapabble and gave it a testing sniff. “You never have any of the good stuff.”

“And yet here you are, raiding my store again.” Starscream set the bowl back on the small table and stared at Rodimus. “I repeat, can I help you?”

Rodimus didn’t answer. Instead, he folded his arms behind his back, and turned back toward Blurr. He moved closer, a grin curving his lips.

“Well, you know, it’s morning,” he said as he inched nearer. Blurr resisted the urge to run and hide. He didn’t have anywhere to go after all. “And I’m told that the human here is supposed to go home in the morning. You know how Megatron feels about humans right now.”

“Blurr,” Starscream bit out, though he sounded agitated. “His name is Blurr.”

“Actually, my name is Dae Hyeun. But everyone calls me Blurr,” Blurr corrected just as Rodimus came within sniffing distance. And sniff he did.

Scent, apparently, was a thing for harpies. Rodimus’ nose twitched as he tasted the air, and got close enough for Blurr to feel the heat of his exhalations. He smelled really sweet, Rodimus did. Even more so than Starscream.

“What are you doing?” Blurr asked.

“Yes,” Starscream gritted out, as suddenly there he was, between Rodimus and Blurr, a very tall barrier. “What are you doing?”

“Well, the only humans I ever saw were the hunters,” Rodimus said as he leaned around Starscream, still staring at Blurr as though he were some kind of weird creature. “This one looks a lot nicer. Younger. Smells better. Oh, and prettier.”

Blurr’s ears burned. “Um. Thank you. I think?”

“No touching,” Starscream snarled, and his feathers rose up, making him look bigger. He stuck out an arm, feathers cascading downward, as though trying to hide Blurr. “I mean it, Rodimus.”

“None?” Rodimus blinked, looking innocent. “Can I lick him then?”

“Lick!?” Blurr choked on the candied pecans, his entire face blazing with heat. “Why would you--”

“No licking either,” Starscream said firmly. He dropped his hand and planted both on his hips. “Is that all you wanted? Blurr is not some oddity for you to stare at.”

Rodimus issued an aggrieved sigh and leaned back. “Sorry for being curious.” He tilted his head. “And no, that’s not all I wanted. I am Liege-Consort, you know. I came to make sure you were obeying Megatron’s orders.”

“I don’t believe for a second Megatron sent you. He’s not that crass.”

“He’s still asleep. I came on my own.”

“Liege-Consort?” Blurr repeated, in the middle of their repartee. They’d said the term before, but he hadn’t been able to interject then. “And also, why are you speaking my language?”

Rodimus blinked. “Um, because I know it? And I thought it’d be rude to talk about you without you knowing what I’m saying.” His eyes cut to Starscream. “Should I not have?”

Starscream rubbed his forehead with the heel of his hand. “He meant, how do you know his language?” He half-turned to address Blurr. “Liege-Consort means that Rodimus is currently mated to Liege Megatron. Or, well, at least they are well on their way to being mated.”

Blurr’s eyes rounded. He looked at Rodimus, who was smaller than Starscream and maybe taller than Blurr, if he wasn’t wearing sneakers. And he remembered Megatron, who towered over Starscream. Who was probably twice Starscream in mass.

“But he’s twice your size!” Blurr blurted out, clutching his sweater close to his chest. He resisted the urge to cross his legs.

Rodimus winked at him. “And twice the fun, if you ask me.” He chuckled. “And I was taught the four most common languages on Cybertron where I’m from. So that’s why I know.”

Blurr felt the color drain from his face. Twice the fun? More like twice the pain. Twice the ouch. Twice the how the fuck do they manage to fit?

“Actually, there’s been a change of plans.” Starscream swung back toward Rodimus. “I’d like Blurr to stay for a few days, show him around the Aerie. That is, if you think Megatron would approve. And if it wouldn’t bother you.”

Rodimus’ face brightened. “Of course he can stay!” He threw out his hands. “He’s very welcome here.” He paused and crinkled his forehead. “Only might want to keep him away from the twins. They’re still pretty fidgety.”

“And you’re not?” Starscream asked.

Rodimus shrugged, and his grin got even wider. “I trust you, Star. You say Blurr’s safe, I believe he’s safe.”

Starscream made a sound Blurr didn’t recognize. “Very well. And thanks for the warning. I will keep our distance from the twins.”

“Twins?” Blurr echoed around a mouthful of peach. “Harpies have twins?”

“Rarely. They are a special case.” Starscream turned back toward Blurr, his expression shifting toward seriousness. “Remember when I said that the whole aerie was in lockdown? It was partly because of him.” He gestured over his shoulder at Rodimus.

“Hey! It’s not like I wanted to be kidnapped by humans!” Rodimus barked, but his face flushed. He folded his arms over his chest and looked away. “It’s not my fault.”

“Whoa. You were kidnapped by humans?” Blurr’s gaze darted between the two harpies, and he was again reminded of how small he was in comparison. Except maybe to Rodimus. “I mean, I’d heard that there were some shitty people out there, but man. I’m sorry. I promise I’m not like them.”

Rodimus managed a smile. “I know. Star wouldn’t like you if you were. But you might want to be careful where you go while you’re here. The twins aren’t the only ones who are twitchy.”

Well, that explained why the two guards were so aggressive right off the bat. Blurr supposed he’d be suspicious of any human, too, if his leader’s mate got kidnapped by humans.

“He’ll be fine. I’ll be with him,” Starscream said.

“Actually….” Rodimus unfolded his arms, and though Blurr didn’t know him that well, he knew a twinkle of mischief when he saw one. “You have a shift with Shockwave, remember? And you know how Megatron feels about shirking duties.”

Starscream hissed a groan, but Rodimus didn’t so much as flinch, so Blurr assumed it wasn’t a threatening or angry sound. Starscream’s feathers slicked down, and his shoulders drooped.

“Does that mean I have to stay in here?” Blurr asked. Disappointment gnawed at his belly, but he tried not to let it show on his face.

“That’s probably be--”

“I can show him around!” Rodimus skirted around Starscream before he could do much of anything and bounced to Blurr’s side. “What do you say, Blurr? I could give you a tour, introduce you to the others. The ones that won’t hate you, I mean. It’s better than staying cooped up in this nest, right?”

Blurr blinked. His gaze ever so slowly slid to Starscream, who sighed a heavy sigh and palmed his face.

“You’re safe with Rodimus,” he said, sounding very put-out. “So it’s your choice, Blurr. And Rodimus, no touching. Especially without his permission.”

Rodimus rolled his eyes. “I know that, Star.” He leaned in close to Blurr and winked. “But if you give me permission, it’s totally okay, right? Because you smell pretty good and look really soft, and I’m curious.”

Blurr managed a small, nervous laugh. “No touching,” he confirmed. And as for smelling good? No way. He stank. He needed a shower like yesterday.

“You two need to learn how to have fun,” Rodimus said with a visible pout. He did, however, back off. Proving he wasn’t a complete asshole. “You still want the tour though, right? I know all the fun stuff to do. Since Star here is such a stick in the mud.”

Starscream scraped the heel of his palm down his face. He did not, however, rebut Rodimus’ claim. Probably because he had to do it too often.

Blurr pushed himself to his feet and dusted off his jeans, trying not to notice how dirty and wrinkled they were.

“Yeah, I still want the tour,” Blurr said and eased closer to Starscream. “I mean, it’s only for a little while, right? And maybe we can find my stuff while we’re at it.”

Starscream hooked a hand around his waist and tugged him against Starscream’s side, until he was surrounded by Starscream’s feathers. “Just until midday meal.” He nuzzled Blurr and made Blurr’s hair even more tangled than it already was. “Though I’d rather stay in my nest all day.”

Rodimus chuckled. “Yeah, I’m sure you would.”

Blurr’s face burned again.

“You hush,” Starscream said with a little growl. His arm curved around Blurr, until he could press a knuckle under Blurr’s chin and tilt his head up.

He looked up into Starscream’s face, the harpy’s expression soft and warm. “I will see you at lunch,” Starscream murmured, his forehead pressing to Blurr’s.

Blurr swallowed thickly. “Okay.”

Starscream’s mouth curved into a smile before he leaned down far enough to brush his lips over Blurr’s. The kiss was chaste, barely a connection of their mouths. Yet, it made Blurr flush with heat, his heart pounding in his chest.

“Adaptus, you two are adorable,” Rodimus said as Starscream drew away, taking his warmth with him.

Blurr resisted the urge to yank him back. Starscream had responsibilities. They couldn’t very well spend the day in the nest.

“Hush,” Starscream said, but the rebuke was mild, and his expression was pleased. His feathers fluffed and twitched as though he preened. “And take good care of him, Rodimus. Or so help me--”

“Yeah, yeah.” Rodimus flicked a hand through the air. “Go on, Starscream. I got this.”

Blurr crossed his arms and nodded. “I’ll be fine.” So long as he didn’t run into any more of those really big Harpies. Especially not Ratchet, who seemed to pretty much hate his guts, or those two guards who had been ready to attack him.

“I know you will be.” Reluctance was written into Starscream’s face. “All right. Fine. I’m going. You two have fun.” He turned and swept back the curtain that served as his doorway. He gave one last look to Blurr before he ducked under the curtain and left.

Blurr slid his gaze toward Rodimus, who was grinning from ear to ear. “So,” he chirped with a wriggle of his hips. “What do you want to see first?”

***

 


	22. Chapter 22

Rodimus did not once try to grope him. A fact for which Blurr was truly grateful. It seemed all of that behavior before had been for show, so while he teased Blurr like the older brother Blurr never had, he behaved. And he did as promised. He gave Blurr a tour, sort of a whirlwind one actually, starting from the ground up.

It was going to be a pain getting around without wings, Blurr lamented.

The Aerie itself was one huge, hollow tree. Walkways made of thickly woven twigs criss-crossed the open space. The ground floor held the hot springs, the restroom facility, and the main entrance. A spiraling rampway ringed the inner structure of the Aerie, providing access to each level.

The second and third levels held their storerooms, food prep areas, and some common spaces. All of their “offices” were on the third level, which included Megatron’s and Soundwave’s, who was apparently their Speaker. Another harpy named Orion Pax had an office here, too.

“Do you have an office?” Blurr asked Rodimus. “Since you’re Liege Consort and all? Do you have any kind of duties?”

Rodimus laughed at him. “Depends on what you mean by duty.” He and waggled his feathery eyebrows.

Blurr opted not to pursue that line of questioning.

The fourth level held the hatchling daycare and the medical room, which Blurr recognized as where he’d woken. Ratchet wasn’t in when they stopped by, but it was where they found Blurr’s backpack and runners. Clean clothes!

Anything from the fifth level up was residential nests, though there were personal nests scattered on the other floors, too. Even on the first.

“We have a few Harpies who are, well, not afraid of heights, but uncomfortable with them,” Rodimus explained.

Blurr blinked. “How can someone who flies be wary of heights?”

“Not all humans are as nice as you,” Rodimus answered, and a dark look shadowed his eyes. Something angry and hurt, and once again, Blurr opted not to ask further.

There was a roof of sorts, too, though it was a lattice of leaf-strewn branches. Blurr doubted it was waterproof, which meant rain probably got everywhere. But the ceiling in Starscream’s nest had been pretty tightly woven, so he supposed that made up for it?

Rodimus seemed to enjoy guiding Blurr around. He all but danced as he showed off the Kaon Aerie, his grin bright with pride. He introduced Blurr to several of Kaon’s residents. Or at least the ones who were willing to get close to a human.

He noticed more than a few that kept their distance. There were two in particular, bright red and gold, who glared with hostile intentions in Blurr’s direction, and he was glad to keep his distance from those two. They looked pretty similar so he wondered if they were the twins Rodimus had mentioned earlier.

"That's Sunstreaker and Sideswipe, the gold one is Sunstreaker," Rodimus said when he caught Blurr's look. "We rescued them from the humans. I'd definitely keep my distance from them. They're skittish around harpies as it is."

Blurr nodded, a clutch of guilt grabbing at his belly. He'd had nothing to do with the kidnapping, of course, but it hurt to know someone like him had done harm to a harpy. It wasn't right.

"Noted." Blurr looked over at Rodimus. "What about you? I mean, you don't seem bothered by being close to me."

Rodimus grinned, and his tail swished across the floor. "Star trusts you, so I trust you."

"It's as easy as that?"

"Yep. Plus I was only with the humans for about a week. It was awful, but it was nothing like what the twins have been through." Rodimus shrugged, and his eyes went a bit starry. "I have Megatron taking care of me. What more can I ask for?"

Blurr supposed that made the difference.

Rodimus nudged him with a shoulder. "Anyway, enough about terrible things, I want to know more about you and Starscream. You two are actually together, aren't you?"

Heat flooded Blurr's face. "Yes, we are."

Rodimus tucked his hands behind his back. "Star's liked you for a long time. I'm glad to hear it."

"You, um, you don't disapprove?" Blurr asked, though it felt weird to ask someone like Rodimus, who gave off the impression he was much younger than Blurr. Liege-consort or not, there was an innocence to Rodimus.

Rodimus shrugged. "Not gonna lie. It's pretty weird. Starscream's a great catch. But you seem all right, and no one's forcing anyone so who am I to judge?" He paused and squinted at Blurr. "It's all consensual, right?"

"Of course!" Blurr reared back, indignant.

Rodimus held up his hands. "Hey, I had to ask. It's kind of my job, you know, to make sure members of my flock are being treated right." He pointed one finger upward. "And, vice versa, that my flock isn't behaving badly."

Blurr folded his arms. "How can you trust Starscream when it comes to me, but not trust either of us when it comes to that?"

"It's not about trust. It's about a clash of cultures." Rodimus tucked his hands behind his back again and started walking, leaving Blurr to fall into step beside him. "Different cultures can have different unspoken expectations and understandings. Now, as long as two people are communicating, that's fine, but sometimes, people don't communicate like they should. Not maliciously, but because they're not used to it being something they need to communicate."

Blurr blinked.

That was shockingly astute. Perhaps he'd misjudged Rodimus. He'd thought the harpy to be flighty, playful, somewhat childish even. But clearly, he was Liege-Consort for a reason.

He was also right. Just recently he and Starscream had an instance of poor communication, which had resulted in Blurr's arrival at the Aerie.

"That's fair," Blurr conceded just as a delightful scent floated to his nose, making his stomach grumble. It was sweet and tangy, with a hint of butter and salt. His mouth watered.

"Hungry?" Rodimus asked with a little laugh.

Blurr rubbed his belly. "Starving. Humans aren't meant to live on a diet of fruits and nuts."

"Well, we won't have any meat for you, but I'm sure we can find something a bit more hearty." Rodimus clapped him on the shoulder and tilted his head toward a nearby doorway.

This one wasn't curtained off and was wide enough to fit two harpies abreast, rather than the single-file entry most of the doorways seemed to have. The delicious smells floated out from here, as did a low rumble of conversation, the sound of dishes clattering, and general movement.

"I'll take just about anything," Blurr said as Rodimus stepped inside and Blurr followed, his eyebrows climbing upward.

He was impressed.

There were two long tables in the middle of the room with rows of stools to either side of them. They were decorated with vases of flowers, and each place was set for an occupant with dishes and napkins and tableware. Another long table lined the back and plates of food were arranged on it, buffet style. The outer wall was an open lattice and streams of sunlight poured in, along with strings of overhead lights that gave the room a soft glow.

"Communal meals are very important to us," Rodimus explained as he picked up a plate from one of the settings and handed another to Blurr. "We're a small community, and we rely on each other for survival. Fostering good relationships is key."

Blurr blinked at him.

Rodimus grinned and waggled his feathery eyebrows. "Bet you didn't think I could sound smart, right?"

"I've learned not to underestimate harpies," Blurr said, and Starscream had taught him that lesson well. He’d had more than a few tongue-lashings.

“Then Star’s teaching you right.” Rodimus chuckled and Blurr followed him to the buffet, his stomach growling angrily at him.

It was a cornucopia of food. They had raw fruits and vegetables, but they also had freshly baked biscuits and breads, flaky pastries and rolled oats and things that looked like granola bars. There were chunks of cheese and yogurt, plus potato fries and shredded lettuces.

Blurr loaded up his plate, once Rodimus told him he could take as much as he want. He’d miss meat, but this would do for a few days. Any food was better than none. Besides, he could get plenty of protein from the yogurt and peanut butter.

Rodimus took him back to the table where they’d taken their plates, on the end near the door, as if he wanted everyone to see Blurr as soon as they came in. Blurr had felt the other harpies staring at him, but he pretended he didn’t. At least he was used to being stared at, and most of the looks were curious rather than angry.

No one approached them however.

“Are they afraid of me?” Blurr asked around a mouthful of what he’d deemed the granola bar.

Rodimus snorted and shoved a handful of wild strawberries into his mouth. “They’re curious enough. I think they’re more worried about whether or not they  _should_  interact with you. Plus, not all of them speak your language.”

Hmm. Blurr supposed that made sense.

“Don’t worry. As soon as someone else crosses the line first, you’ll be surrounded by a dozen curious harpies with a thousand questions,” Rodimus said.

That was what he was afraid of.

Blurr eyed the staring harpies a bit nervously. Who would be the first to approach?

The answer came soon enough. A tall, somewhat gangly blue harpy came striding over, a small ball of black puff cradled against one shoulder. There was a huge scar through his right eye, but the other eye was friendly enough.

“Well, well, well, what have we here, Rodders?” the harpy asked with a sharp grin and a little bounce to the tiny harpy sleeping on his shoulder.

Blurr stared at the baby. It was… so cute. So fluffy and tiny and delicate.

“There’s not a respectful bone in your body, is there?” Rodimus said with a groan, though it was hard to look at him and think ‘leader’ with the crumbs around his lips and the bit of jam smeared on one cheek.

“Nope!” the harpy said cheerfully, and he tilted his head, looking directly at Blurr. “So you’re Starscream’s human, huh? Don’t look dangerous to me. Don’t know what these other ones are worried about.” He gestured with a flick of his head to the other harpies.

Rodimus sighed.

Blurr wiped his hand around his mouth. “I’m not dangerous. Promise.” He thought about offering his hand. Did harpies do handshakes? “You can call me Blurr.”

“Whirl,” said the harpy. “And this bit of sleeping fluff is Skydive. If we’re all lucky, he’ll sleep the whole time.”

“Why isn’t he in daycare?” Rodimus asked.

Whirl gave Rodimus a look. “One, because he’s my kid, and I’m going to keep him whenever I want. And two, he’s got the sniffles. Didn’t want him around the other bits.”

As if summoned, Skydive gave the tiniest of sneezes and rubbed his face on Whirl’s shoulder, a shudder running through his body. Tiny hands carded through Whirl’s feathers as he tried to burrow even further into his -- father’s? mother’s? -- chest.

“Oh, that makes sense,” Rodimus said. He gestured to one of the empty places beside them. “Want to join us?”

“Nah. I’m going to take bit home and cuddle until he feels better,” Whirl said and shot a grin at Blurr. “Just wanted to check out our new arrival.” He winked, which was interesting given he had only the one eye. “Starscream’s got good taste.”

Blurr flushed to the tips of his ears. “Thanks, I guess.”

Whirl chuckled, and then he was gone in a swirl of gray-blue feathers, calling out something to someone on the other side of the room as he did so.

“He seems nice,” Blurr said.

“He can be a smartass,” Rodimus said, digging into one of the buttery rolls he’d grabbed. “He’s also one of our warriors. Very strong. I wouldn’t upset him if I were you.”

“I don’t plan on it.” Blurr watched the door, watched Whirl leave, and imagined that though Whirl wasn’t as burly and large as say Ratchet and Megatron, he was still taller than Starscream, with wicked sharp talons.

Staying on Whirl’s good side, staying on any of the warrior’s good side, was priority one, Blurr decided.

He absently poked a potato into his mouth, and grinned as a familiar face stepped into the common room. Starscream swept inside, scanning the crowd, and the way his eyes lit up when he spotted Blurr made Blurr go all warm and fuzzy on the inside.

“That’s damn adorable,” Rodimus muttered.

Blurr ignored him.

“You’re easy to spot in a crowd,” Starscream said as he came to the table, circling around it to Blurr, leaning in to rest a hand on his arm.

Blurr wanted to kiss him. He refrained because he didn’t know the rules here in the aerie. Maybe PDA was a no-no.

“I think Rodimus wanted me to be easy to spot,” Blurr said with a pointed look at his escort.

Rodimus winked at Starscream. “The best way to get people to understand he’s not dangerous is by meeting him.”

“You little terror. I wish more people understood how devious you are,” Starscream said, but his voice was fond. He squeezed Blurr’s shoulder. “I’m going to grab lunch. I’ll be right back.”

“Sure.”

Starscream grabbed the plate from the setting next to Blurr and joined the line at the buffet tables. It was interesting to see him in his natural environment. He looked like he belonged here, more than he did at the university. Now Blurr was the fish out of water, struggling to find his footing on twig-woven ground and an open-air environment.

“I’ve never seen him like that,” Rodimus commented.

“Like what?” Blurr asked as he dragged his gaze away from Starscream and back to his plate.

Rodimus grinned. “Smitten.”

Blurr flushed again. “You think so?”

“As much as I know it’s mutual. The way you two look at each other, it’s definitely real.” Rodimus pointed at him with a limp potato fry. “People are gonna notice. There’s no doubt in my mind you’ll have this whole aerie behind you one-hundred percent.”

Blurr was glad to hear it. TJ and Rathi were obviously on his side, and he figured Miko and Sari had their suspicions as well, and they didn’t seem opposed. But Blurr wasn’t an idiot. A relationship with Starscream was not something the world at large would accept. If the aerie welcomed them, well, at least they would always have a place they could be together.

“I’d be jealous if I didn’t have Megatron,” Rodimus said and then Blurr saw a look in his eyes that must have been reflected on Blurr’s face, because it was pure warmth and delight. “Ah, speaking of my mate…”

“You’re mated?” Blurr asked. He kind of thought consort meant not married or mated yet.

Rodimus winked. “We will be.” He tilted his head up with a smile as Megatron approached them. “Meetings all done with?”

“Meetings are never-ending,” Megatron rumbled, but he leaned over Rodimus, and their lips met in a chaste kiss. Once again, Blurr was struck by the sheer size difference between them. “I see you are in the middle of an important duty.”

Rodimus licked his lips and smiled, like a lovestruck fool. “I have to prove my mettle,” he hummed. “Gonna eat lunch with me?”

“I could,” Megatron said, and then his eyes were for Rodimus alone, warm and soft where they’d been cool and distant as they assessed Blurr. “Though a more private setting might be preferable.”

Oh, boy. Blurr knew what that meant. Especially when Megatron swept a thumb over Rodimus’ cheek, wiping away the smear of jam.

“Well, what conversation am I missing out on?” Starscream’s voice cut through the noise, and Blurr almost startled as his harpy slipped in beside him, plate loaded with fruits and pastries and all manner of sweet things

Rodimus flushed a pretty pink. “Nothing you need to know about,” he said as if embarrassed.

Megatron chuckled, deep and rumbling, and straightened. “I’m going to steal your tourguide, if you don’t mind, Blurr.”

“I’m off-shift. He doesn’t need a tour guide anymore,” Starscream said. He picked up one of the pastries, tongue sweeping up a spillover for jam. “I can do it.”

“Speaking of, you are invited to stay, Blurr. We’ve decided you are welcome here,” Megatron said, the weight of his gaze falling on Blurr with warning. This was a privilege, those eyes said, and he’d do best to treat it with respect.

“Thank you, sir,” Blurr said, for a moment feeling as if he was under his father’s stare, reminding him of his duties, his responsibility to excel.

“Sir.” Rodimus snorted and scooped up the last bit of food from his plate, shoving it into his mouth. “Don’t do that or he’ll expect everyone to start using honorifics.”

Megatron tilted his head, something like amusement in his expression. “Now there’s a thought.”

“No!” Rodimus leapt up from sitting, and clambered on top of his stool to put a hand over Megatron’s mouth, his tail nearly sweeping his empty dishware from the table. “Don’t even think about it.”

Even Blurr could tell Megatron was smiling behind Rodimus’ hand.

“Sir has a nice ring to it,” Megatron said, muffled.

Rodimus groaned and climbed down from the stool. “See what you’ve done?” He tucked an arm through Megatron’s elbow. “Let’s go before Blurr puts any more ideas into your head.”

Megatron unthreaded their arms, and Rodimus gave him a look of utter betrayal. “You can join me once you’ve cleaned the table.”

“I think he forgets he’s not in Iacon sometimes,” Starscream leaned in and whispered in Blurr’s ear with a little laugh as Rodimus pouted but obediently cleaned up his dishwares, all while grumbling at Megatron under his breath. “He was a prince there.”

Blurr’s mouth dropped. “What? Really?”

“Yep.” Starscream laughed and started digging into his launch with gusto, and Blurr shouldn’t be so surprised his plate was full of sweet things.

Huh. Blurr supposed it took all kinds.

“How was your tour, by the way?”

Blurr dug back into his own lunch. “I probably couldn’t find my way back to anything, but it was fascinating.” He leaned in, bumping shoulders with Starscream. “I like getting to see your home finally. It’s like you’re letting me see a new part of you.”

“I should have pushed for it sooner,” Starscream said. “A lot of mess could have been avoided if I didn’t insist upon such secrets, and letting my fears decide things for me.”

“Fear?”

Starscream made a vague gesture. “You can imagine how I thought they might react. Kaon is generally accepting of all kinds, but I didn’t know if this was a line they’d draw. You saw Ratchet’s reaction.”

Blurr made a face. Yeah, Ratchet hadn’t been very friendly. Xenophobic had been the word Megatron used.

He scraped up the last bit of honey butter from his plate, and washed it down with what was probably the freshest water he’d ever tasted. “I can understand that. We’re lucky it turned out pretty okay.”

“Except for the harm I caused you,” Starscream murmured, and his crest went a little flat, apology written in his face.

Blurr rested a hand on his arm. “It was a misunderstanding and I’ve already forgiven you. Let’s leave it at that.”

Starscream smiled. “Thank you.” He glanced down at their plates, empty save for some crumbs. “Would you like to go for a walk with me? I suspect Rodimus didn’t take you to the observation platform.”

Blurr thought back. “He mentioned where it was, but I don’t think he took me there.”

“Then we’ll go.”

They gathered up their dishes, taking them to a few bins filled with sudsy water, and Blurr followed Starscream’s lead. He explained that they would be on dish duty starting tomorrow, and would probably have to wash post-breakfast. That was fine with Blurr. He wanted to be helpful.

Starscream took his hand, and Blurr enjoyed the tangle of their fingers together, even if it did garner more than a few stares. They couldn’t walk like this back at the university, but they could do it here.

Blurr’s heart fluttered.

Starscream led him upward, to the topmost level of the aerie, and Blurr found himself a little short of breath at the steadily spiral climb. His legs burned. He thought about the training he could manage, jogging up and down this incline. His calves would hate him. Kind of like they did now.

At the top, the roof was a woven lattice of branches and leaves and twine and twigs. Sunlight poured through the gaps, and a thick netting caught fallen tree debris. There were a few large gaps that looked to be on purpose, and a ladder braced against a thick branch, leading up into the canopy.

“Fledgelings aren’t so great at flying, so we have the ladder for them to get to the deck,” Starscream explained as he urged Blurr to precede him. “Just watch your step.”

“Good thing I’m mostly barefoot.” Blurr started to climb.

By the time his head cleared the canopy, he was breathless, and not from the climb. Up here, there was a flat deck, and it looked out over the land. He could see for miles around in either direction, and the wind was strong as it tugged at his hair and clothes. The air was fresh and crisp, the sun bright and warm. There was no one up here either, so it felt like he was standing at the top of the world, all by himself.

“What do you think?” Starscream asked as he hauled himself into view.

Blurr inched toward the edge of the platform, where a woven rope barrier was all that stood between him and tumbling off to his doom. “It’s amazing.” He felt he should have better words but he was never much of a poet.

“I think so too.” Starscream lowered himself down and reached up a hand toward Blurr. “Sit with me.”

Blurr nibbled on his bottom lip. Anyone could come up here and see them cuddling. But hell, it was just cuddling right? It shouldn’t bother anyone.

He put his hand in Starscream’s and was unsurprised when he was tugged into Starscream’s lap, his back pressed to Starscream’s chest and Starscream’s chin resting on top of his head. Starscream hummed, and it vibrated all around Blurr.

“I missed you,” he said.

“We were only apart for a few hours,” Blurr chuckled.

“You know that’s not what I meant.” Starscream’s arms folded around him, feathers shielding Blurr from the light chill of the wind.

“I do.” Blurr relaxed into the embrace. “I like it here.” Though it would be better if he had some meat. Maybe he could get some dried jerky or something and a keep a stash of it here.

Starscream nuzzled him. “You can stay as long as you want, and come back whenever you want.”

Blurr chewed on the inside of his cheek. “I need to talk to you about that.”

“All right,” Starscream said, his voice steady though a tremble ran through his body. “Now?”

“Yeah. It’s peaceful up here.” Blurr closed his eyes, focused on the warmth of Starscream, the warmth of the sun, the scent of the wind. “So I’m graduating this year, you know. That means I gotta figure out what I’m going to do afterward.”

Starscream hummed an affirmative noise but didn’t otherwise interrupt. Thank Primus.

Blurr took a deep breath. “I’ve been looking at my options. Coach has always wanted me on the international team, and for a long time, I thought that was what I wanted, too.”

“You changed your mind?”

“I think it was what I wanted because I thought I didn’t have any other options. Running internationally was as good an idea as any.” Blurr shrugged, but it was less nonchalant than he wanted. “But then the scouts were at the semi-finals, and I choked. Couldn’t get my head in the game.”

Starscream’s arms tightened around him. “Why didn’t you tell me? I would’ve been there.”

“You weren’t there to tell,” Blurr bit out.

Silence.

Starscream nuzzled him again. He exhaled over Blurr’s ear, his lips a soft brush on Blurr’s cheek. “I’m so sorry. I would’ve been there, had I known.”

“I know. It’s okay. I mean it.” Blurr rested a hand over Starscream’s arm. “I realized I wasn’t as disappointed as I should’ve been. I started to realize that maybe I didn’t want to leave Kaon after all.”

“What do you mean? What will you do?”

Blurr took in a deep breath. “I thought I could get a job here in Kaon. I’ll have a business degree. That’s pretty one size fits all when it comes to humans. And Dr. Morgan has offered me a position working with Avian Studies if I want.”

“You’d be working with me, if you did, since I’m cultural liaison,” Starscream said quietly.

“I know. And it’s not a bad thought.” Blurr turned in Starscream’s arms, so he could look up into his lover’s face. “I don’t want to go home, Star. And I don’t want to go to some strange city by myself and be alone again. I want to stay here.”

Starscream pressed his forehead to Blurr’s. “With me?” There was an aching hope in his voice. Blurr wondered if it matched the lump in his throat.

“Yeah. Of course.” Blurr curved his hand around the back of Starscream’s head and pulled him into a kiss, a sweet and gentle one that tasted of the jam filling in Starscream’s pastry.

“Are you sure?” Starscream murmured.

Blurr smiled and tucked his face against Starscream’s throat. “I’m sure. And maybe we can’t be open in the city, but we can be open about it here. It’s going to be weird, and we’re very different, but we can still be together.”

“We’ll figure it out. Whatever we need.” Starscream kissed him again, more fiercely, as if staking a claim, and Blurr rumbled a moan, deep in the pit of his chest.

He was so glad he’d biked out here in a fit of pique. It was the best decision he’d made all week.

~

They stayed on the roof until another harpy popped his head up from the ladder. He was a bright, sunny yellow, and Starscream introduced him as the aptly named Sunstorm. While Sunstorm seemed amiable enough, he was clearly discomforted by Blurr’s presence, no doubt because of the hatchling in his arms.

There were plenty of other places to explore, so Starscream and Blurr said their goodbyes and left the observation deck to Sunstorm.

Starscream took him on another tour of the aerie, this time introducing him to a few faces, and making it easier for Blurr to find his way back to them. He’d be on his own tomorrow, apparently, and Blurr made a mental note of all the places he probably ought to avoid, though Perceptor made him promise he’d return for an interview.

In that moment, Perceptor reminded him a small bit of Miko and Sari.

Later, there was another communal dinner with great big pots of beans made into a hearty stew, thick slabs of sourdough, and a lavish strawberry shortcake for dessert, plus the usual array of raw fruits and vegetables.

Blurr expected to stick around for it. But instead, Starscream piled up plates and little baskets with food. They escaped the common room, stowed their gathered food in Starscream’s nest, then climbed all the way down to the first floor.

“This is as private as the springs are going to get, unless you want to get up in the middle of the night, but even then we might get an eyeful,” Starscream said as he ushered Blurr ahead of him, the scent of water and minerals floating to his nose.

“An eyeful?” Blurr repeated. Harpies didn’t wear clothes.

Starscream grinned and winked as he set aside Blurr’s change of clothes while Blurr stripped out of his filthy ones. “Drift and Perceptor have been known to enjoy a late night rendezvous or two. They tend not to encourage an audience.”

Primus.

The tips of Blurr’s ears felt hot. “Harpies have no shame,” he muttered as he pulled off his socks and eased down into one of the pools.

It was small. It would fit both of them comfortably, and perhaps another harpy of Starscream’s size or smaller, but no one else. It was also tucked away in a corner, and shieled by a high ridge of rock.

It was heavenly. The water was comfortably hot and silken against his bare skin. An outcropping beneath the surface made the perfect shelf for him to plant his ass, too.

Starscream slid in next to Blurr with a contented sigh, his feathers fluffing out as if to encourage as much water around them as possible. His eyes glowed with satisfaction.

Blurr wanted to kiss him.

So he waded through the water and did just that, laughing when Starscream cupped his ass and pulled him closer, his cock at half-mast and grinding against Starscream.

“Did I give you an idea?” Starscream teased.

“You’ve been giving me ideas all day,” Blurr grumbled as he nuzzled into Starscream’s throat, licking at a spot he remembered biting two weeks ago.

Starscream chuckled. “We have a window of opportunity here, but I don’t think it’s long enough for what you have in mind.”

“All we’re doing is kissing,” Blurr said innocently, though he ground against Starscream’s belly, a shudder running down his spine as his cock rubbed over wet feathers.

“Hmm.” Starscream’s mouth feathered down the curve of his face, toward his lips. “The faster you get clean, the faster I can take you back to my nest.”

Blurr pressed a kiss into Starcream’s throat, rocking his hips forward. “You know, I’ve been thinking…”

“Do share.”

Blurr swept his hands down Starscream’s sides, grinding harder on Starscream’s belly. “I’ll bet if we’re careful, you could fuck me.”

Starscream went still. “What?”

Blurr sat back enough to see Starscream’s face. “I’ve had you. It’s only fair. I think we should try.” He was very curious, and he had to admit, there was a special kind of intimacy to having your partner inside you. Blurr missed it.

“I am much larger than you, Dae,” Starscream murmured, and there was something about the sound of his real name on Starscream’s lips that made his insides quiver with affection. “And I am not equipped to… prepare you properly.” His talons pricked at Blurr’s ass to prove his point. “I don’t want to hurt you.”

Blurr swallowed a sigh. “You have a point.”

Starscream’s smile was soft and fond. “In the meantime, there are many other things we can do. Though I’m sure you’d prefer the privacy of our nest.”

“Our?” Blurr cocked an eyebrow.

Starscream nuzzled him, cheek to cheek. “What’s mine is yours, Zippy.”

Blurr rather liked the sound of that. “Then help me get clean so you can get me dirty again.”

“You’re a menace.” Starscream snorted.

Blurr let the other topic drop. For now. He still remembered Rathi’s offer. There were certainly ways to get around Starscream’s objections.

He’d just have to figure it out.

****

 


	23. Chapter 23

“Blurr.”

He managed a sleepy grunt and tried to bury his head further beneath the blanket. He had no idea what time it was, only sure it was early, because he was tired and wanted to sleep.

A quiet chuckle spilled against his ear. “You’re adorable,” Starscream murmured, nipping at his ear lobe. “I’ve got a few meetings this morning. Are you going to be okay on your own?”

“Mmhm.”

A kiss feathered the side of his face. “I’ll find you for lunch, all right?”

That hazy state between waking and sleeping kept pulling him back toward sleep. He might have grunted an affirmative. Starscream’s soft laugh wrapped around him, a kiss brushed over his temple, and then the blanket was tucked around his body.

Blurr drifted back into sleep surrounded by the scent of Starscream.

~

He woke later, when someone laughed loudly outside the curtained door, startling him. Starscream’s nest was much brighter, and though he didn’t have a clue what time it was, he gathered it was late morning.

His stomach grumbled as he untangled himself from the pillows and blankets, his hair a nest around his head. He’d slept well, for all that he wasn’t used to sleeping in a bowl of pillows.

Blurr climbed out and pulled on his clothes from the night before. They were still clean enough, and he’d only brought a few changes as it was. He supposed he’d have to ask Starscream about finding somewhere to wash his dirties and hang them to dry.

He dressed. He washed his face. He filled his pockets with fruit from Starscream’s basket, and then he ventured out into the aerie, for the first time, on his own.

It was a bustle of activity, just like the day before. Harpies going about their daily lives and business, most of them giving him a curious look but no one outright glaring at him. Blurr kept an eye out for the twins - Sunstreaker and Sideswipe. He didn’t want to cross their path.

He wandered for a bit, absently munching on his breakfast, trying to familiarize himself with the aerie on his own. He learned to tell the difference between private nests and public spaces, the latter of which typically didn’t have curtains to close them off, and the doors were wider.

He passed by the common room, and found them tidying up after breakfast. Food was still available for late risers, but it was more of a to-go option, with a small table off to the side laden with muffins and raw fruits. Blurr grabbed one of the muffins and skedaddled before he got press-ganged into dishes.

He hated doing dishes.

Blurr eventually found his way back to Perceptor and Drift’s room, after remembering it was near the top of the aerie. The curtained door was drawn back with a tie, and Blurr took that to mean he was free to enter, though he was still cautious about it. Starscream’s warning about their penchant for public displays was still fresh at the back of his mind.

“Hello?” he called out as he stepped inside without having to duck. That was the benefit of harpy doorways. They were much taller than the average human doorway.

Perceptor and Drift’s home was arranged a bit differently than Starscream’s. Their nest was slightly less central, and they had a wide open balcony where Starscream only had a window. Suncatchers and windchimes hung on the balcony, and their quiet music filled the air. The ceiling was more open, too, and it was a beautiful lattice of woven twigs and glittering gems which Blurr suspected were colored glass.

They had carved shelving into the walls, and each shelf was packed with items -- books and knickknacks and small jars and vials. One of the walls had a small variety of weapons on hooks -- they belonged to Drift.

Perceptor stepped out from behind a little alcove they had tucked away to the side. “Hello, Blurr. Good morning to you,” he said with a bob of his head.

“Morning,” Blurr said, and scratched the side of his nose. “At least, I assume it’s still morning. I haven’t checked the time because I don’t want to turn on my phone. Don’t wanna drain the battery, you know.”

Perceptor chuckled. “We have solar chargers if you need.”

“Oh. Well, that solves that.” Blurr tucked his hands behind his back, as he’d been taught when he was a kid in someone else’s home.

“Are you on your own today?” Perceptor asked with a curious tilt of his head. He had less bird mannerisms than Starscream, and there was something about his face that was more… human, for lack of a better word.

Blurr nodded. “Starscream has some meetings. He seemed to think I’d be okay on my own.”

Perceptor smiled at him. “We’re quite friendly here. He’s right.” He gestured to the small table in front of one of the shelves. “Would you like to sit? Are you hungry?”

Blurr waved his half-eaten muffin at Perceptor. “I found breakfast. Thanks though.” He sat, and after coming here, he never thought he’d long for a chair with a back, but wow, stools were not as comfortable as a lazy slouch in a backed chair.

“Feel free to let me know if you need anything,” Perceptor said. He pulled out a quill and inkpot, plus a small book of bound parchment. “How are things with Starscream, by the way?”

Heat stained the tips of Blurr’s ears. “Um, good.” He nibbled on his muffin, using it as a shield. “I came out here because of a misunderstanding, but it’s all cleared up now.”

“Misunderstanding?”

Blurr scrubbed the back of his neck. He eyed Perceptor, but there didn’t seem to be any judgment in the harpy’s eyes. “We, uh, were… intimate? And then he vanished. And I might have overreacted.”

“Oh. An unfortunate series of events. I can understand how that could be misinterpreted,” Perceptor said, with nary a blink of judgement. He tilted his head as if in deep thought. “Though I would have thought humans and harpies were incompatible. Size-wise, I mean.”

Blurr was sure his face was redder than the apple in the pocket. He found the weave of the wall very interesting. “It’s, uh, more compatible one way than the other. Starscream’s kind of insisted on it. He doesn’t want to hurt me.” He wiggled his free hand pointedly.

Why. Why were they talking about this again?

“Ah.” Perceptor made a soft humming sound of understanding. “There are things to help with that, you know. If you were so inclined.”

Oh, Primus.

Blurr shoved another bite of muffin into his mouth, chewing slowly, while his face was set aflame and one leg started bouncing under the table.

Perceptor leaned back, tapping one perfectly manicured talon against his chin. “As a matter of fact, I do believe I might have something here that could be of use.”

Blurr’s eyes widened as Perceptor set down his writing implements and rose from his stool, moving to examine one of the shelves, where a few boxes were carefully stacked.

“It was a gift, if I recall,” Perceptor murmured, and Blurr got the feeling he was not addressing Blurr directly, but talking to himself. “Before we moved to the aerie which means it will be in one of the older storage boxes. Drift never throws anything away. He’s a bit of a hoarder.”

“You never know when you might need something,” Blurr commented, though he wasn’t much of a hoarder himself. Had nowhere to store it, after all, since he lived in the dorm year-round. Space was limited.

Perceptor absently nodded. “Yes, that’s what Drift says as well. Ah, I believe it’s this one.” He pulled a bin from the shelf, no bigger than a shoebox, and lifted the lid. His tailfeathers twitched with delight. “My memory serves me well.” He withdrew a small, dark bag, tied shut with strings.

The bin returned to the shelf, and Perceptor swished back to the table, holding the bag out to Blurr.

“Here you are. Don’t be shy. Drift and I have no real need for it, so I think you and Starscream can put it to better use,” Perceptor said as he sat himself back down, carefully arranging his tailfeathers as he did so.

Blurr nibbled on his bottom lip. He unstrung the ties and peeked into the bag, only to tug it back shut a second later. “This is a… a…”

“I believe the humans would call it a sex toy,” Perceptor said, tapping his chin with one foretalon. “A dildo? A false penis? Whatever the term, it should be more than adequate to assist you and Starscream in future intimate encounters.”

A blush heated Blurr’s cheeks, his face, down into his neck, and out to the tips of his ears. He didn’t have words. He could only gape at Perceptor while fumbling to shove the bag and its contents deep into his pocket.

“Um. Thank you?” Blurr said, proud that he managed to speak with more tone than a squeak. “Could we please change the subject now? To anything that isn’t my sex life?”

Perceptor laughed, and there was something musically charming about, like twittering birds on a power line. “Yes, of course. I’d forgotten about the preferred modesty for humans.” He flicks out his quill, dips it in the inkpot, and smooths a piece of paper. “Tell me about yourself. Perhaps that is a more comfortable subject.”

Blurr quietly sighed with relief. He offered Perceptor a more genuine smile, and tried to get comfortable. As embarrassing as that had been, he’s still inwardly thrilled. Now Starscream had no more excuses.

He couldn’t wait until lunch.

~

Perceptor was as endlessly curious about Blurr, as Starscream had been about humans, the university, and life in general. It was only the grumbling of Blurr’s stomach which reminded Perceptor it was lunchtime, and Blurr fled for his life, back to the nest he shared with Starscream.

It was nice to be so welcomed by another harpy, but Primus! Blurr’s head spun. He wasn’t much of a scientist. There was only so much research he could take.

He skidded back into Starscream’s --  _their_  -- nest, and Starscream looked up at him with amusement from where he was curled in the bed, a book in his lap.

“Well, you must have had fun,” he remarked in a dry tone. He unfolded himself from the bed, pulling out of the piles of bedding with better ease than Blurr managed. “You’re late.”

“Perceptor talks a lot,” Blurr said, sweeping his hair out of his face. He hadn’t thought to bring any product, so it’s been loose and soft since his first bath.

Starscream chuckled. “When he’s interested in something, it’s hard to get him to shut up.”

“Yeah, you know, he speaks my language but I swear I still didn’t understand half of what he was saying,” Blurr siad.

Starscream pulled him into a hug, rubbing his cheek across the top of Blurr's head. “Don't worry. I have training and education, and I still don't get a third of what he says sometimes. He forgets his audience.”

Blurr grinned and buried his face in Starscream's chest and feathers, inhaling deeply. He loved the way Starscream smelled.

“I noticed. I appreciated that he wasn’t a jerk.” He’d crept by the med center and caught a glimpse of Ratchet despite his attempts to be stealthy. “Since I caught a glare from Ratchet and all.”

“Ratchet's harmless.” Starscream pulled back and plucked at Blurr's jacket. “Though he does take his concern for our health seriously. Perceptor has reassured him twice there's no harm to be found, but until he's seen for himself, he won't be satisfied. Ready for lunch?”

Blurr's face burned a little brighter. “Um, yeah. But I… have this thing. I want to give you.” He shoved his hand into his pocket, pulling out the bag.

“Oh?” Starscream's feathers ruffled. “What is it?”

Blurr handed the bag over, and watched as Starscream opened it, letting the object inside tumble into his palm. It didn't seem all that obscene given that it was a cheerful bright pink. But there was no mistaking the phallic shape.

Starscream blinked. “That's...”

“You were worried you'd hurt me,” Blurr said as he looked everywhere but at Starscream's face. “And that you were, um, ill-equipped to prepare me properly. So I thought this would help.”

Oh, god. He didn't know if he could get any redder than he already was, but he felt as if his face was on fire. Even as his dick throbbed in his pants at the idea of Starscream using the thing on him, opening him up to be taken by the harpy.

He really, really wanted to try it.

Starscream delicately lifted the fake clava from his hands and examined it, the pad of a finger rubbing down the smooth exterior. “Where did you find such a thing? Did you let someone fly you back to the school?”

“No. Um. Perceptor gave it to me?” On a scale of weirdness Blurr had been through lately, that didn’t even crack the top ten, to be honest.

“Perceptor?” Starscream repeated, incredulous, before his lips curled into a smirk. “That little minx. I have no doubt he is to blame. Rut-obsessed they are. Both of them.”

Blurr snorted. “Like we're any better.”

“Mm. Very true,” Starscream purred. He tilted his head and looked at Blurr, something predatory in his gaze. “You want to try this?”

Blurr nibbled on his bottom lip. “I wouldn't have given it to you if I didn't,” he said, and stepped closer to Starscream, resting his hands on Starscream's hips and wishing he were tall enough to kiss Starscream on his own. “I want to try it.”

“You know you don't have to, right?” Starscream asked, his voice gentle as he pressed a knuckle under Blurr's chin so that their eyes could meet. “I'm happy with the way things are. You don't owe me anything.”

Blurr dipped his chin and caught Starscream's knuckle with his lips, scraping it with his teeth before he dragged his lips down the length of Starscream's finger, careful around the talon. “I want to,” he repeated.

Starscream shivered. His feathers lifted and ruffled, like they were caught by the wind, but Blurr knew enough by now to recognize what that meant.

“Very well,” Starscream murmured. “I am willing. Though perhaps we should have lunch first?”

Blurr laughed against Starscream's finger. “Yeah. Though I swear if all I have to eat here are berries and fruits and nuts, I'm going to lose my mind. I miss meat.”

Starscream looked more than a little appalled. “Harpies don't eat meat,” he said, all indignant, head rearing back and everything. “Our palates are too delicate for it.”

“Must be why you always taste so sweet then,” Blurr muttered as Starscream drew back, putting some much needed distance between them.

“What do you mean by sweet?” Starscream turned toward the bed and dropped the dildo, where it bounced and buried itself between two pillows.

Blurr coughed into his hand. “You know.” He gestured vaguely toward Starscream's groin, his face flaming again. “Sweet.”

Starscream arched a feathery brow at him. “Care to share a specific flavor?”

Oh, he could be incorrigible sometimes.

“No, I don't,” Blurr said. “What's for lunch?”

Starscream laughed. “Well, we can either forage from my meager stores or join the flock in the main hall.”

Blurr wanted something heartier than a few apples and a handful of candied nuts. Still, he eyed the dildo in the nest with an ache of want burning in his belly. And if everyone was at lunch, there’d be less harpies roaming the halls to hear him moaning.

“We could eat here,” he suggested, trying to sound casual, though the bump at his groin spoke otherwise. “We were apart this morning, after all. It would be nice to have a little alone time.”

Starscream arched a feathery brow, and the only way to describe how he approached Blurr was to call it a predatory stalk. “Alone time,” he echoed as his hands slid around Blurr’s hips and reeled him in. “Are you not hungry for food, Blurr?” He nuzzled into Blurr’s neck.

A shiver tiptoed up Blurr’s spine. “Not yet,” he said and grabbed onto Starscream, pulling their bodies together. “We could slide into the nest instead. Take a nap.”

“A nap,” Starscream repeated and his laugh vibrated in Blurr’s ear, which was then followed by the hot, wet lap of his tongue. “My poor human. You’re tired, is that it? You want to rest?”

Blurr groaned and dug his fingers against Starscream’s feathers. “Don’t tease me. You know what I want.”

“So I do.” Starscream’s lips found his, and Blurr moaned into them.

He let go of Starscream, only because he started tugging at his own clothes, hastily undoing his belt and kicking off his shoes. His cock strained at his jeans, and he suddenly wanted nothing more than to be naked and twisted around Starscream, caught in the comfortable curve of the pillow bed.

“You’re eager,” Starscream said against his mouth as he started to help Blurr disrobe, his talons carefully plucking at layers of fabric and peeling them from Blurr’s skin.

“I’m tired of dwelling on things too much,” Blurr admitted as he tossed his clothes aside, and pressed himself to Starscream, bare skin and hard cock sliding against smooth feathers. “I’m all in, Star.”

A purr rumbled in his harpy’s chest. “I love you,” Starscream said suddenly, and he swept Blurr up into an embrace and a fierce kiss, the bite of his fangs making Blurr shudder.

They stumbled into the nest, and there was a moment of surprise where Blurr literally fell into the tangled mass of blankets and pillows. Softness caught him without a bounce, and Starscream’s body and lips fell on him again. Blurr threaded his fingers through Starscream’s feathers, thighs parting to accept Starscream between them, rolling up to grind against Starscream.

Blurr shivered as Starscream's kiss gentled, until their lips were barely touching with each soft kiss. Arousal tangled in his gut, making his skin feel as if it was aflame. His dick was hard, already leaking precome, and anticipation had his heart beating a mile a minute.

“You really want to do this?” Starscream asked.

Blurr grinned through the heat staining his face. “If you don’t start, I’m going to do it myself.”

“Fair enough.” Starscream chuckled and drew back, his hands skimming down Blurr’s sides. “I think if you turn over it will be easier for both of us.”

Blurr licked his lips. “Okay.” He turned over to his hands and knees, and Starscream shoved several pillows at him, tucking them beneath his belly, giving him something to thrust against.

Starcream’s palms skimmed over the back of Blurr’s thighs as he settled between them, and Blurr’s insides clenched with want. Tingles of anticipation had him gripping the pillows, his cock throbbing a spurt of pre-fluid.

Blurr made the conscious decision to push his knees further apart, until he felt the rush of humid air against his balls. His ass clenched as he imagined the stretch of Starscream's larger than human girth.

Fabric ruffled and feathers rustled as Starscream shifted. He rubbed Blurr's ass, pushing and sliding his cheeks, baring his wrinkled rim to the warm air. The weight of Starscream’s regard was an almost tangible touch to his skin.

“You just gonna stare or actually do something?” Blurr challenged.

Starscream chuckled. “I was admiring you,” he said, and he got a handful of Blurr’s ass, squeezing it.

Blurr groaned. “You could admire with your fingers. Or that toy.”

“I’m getting to that,” Starscream murmured, and warm puffs of moist air teased Blurr’s hole, mere seconds before there was a wet flick over it.

Oh, god.

“What're you doing?” Blurr demanded though it came out more of a squeak as Starscream palmed his aft, and the hot swipe lapped his hole.

“I thought it should be obvious,” Starscream purred as he licked at Blurr again, a sensation both ticklish and outrageously arousing. “Talons can get in the way. This is how a harpy properly prepares his mate.”

Blurr gripped the pillow, his hips pushing up and back as Starscream exhaled wetly, and his tongue pushed harder at Blurr.

“Why?” Starscream asked with another puff of wet heat. “Should I stop?”

“Don't you dare!”

“That's what I thought,” Starscream said with a hum, and the long, leisurely licks returned.

Blurr pressed his face into the pillow, thanking Primus it muffled his moans. No one had ever done that for him. No one had ever licked at him with such care, as though savoring some kind of treat. Starscream even sounded like he was enjoying himself, making little purring noises as he lapped longer and deeper.

His long harpy tongue pushed at Blurr's ring, and Blurr turned into a puddle of goo. He sagged into the pillows, dick leaking all over the place.

Starscream's mouth moved lower, sucking at his balls and Blurr moaned into the pillow. It never failed to amaze him, how eagerly Starscream would dive into all of his private places and offer pleasure.

He rocked and rolled his hips, rutting his dick against the pillow beneath him. Pleasure built up within him in a fiery inferno. He gasped as Starscream's tongue seemed to be everywhere and Starscream's teeth grazed the sensitive skin of his ass and inner thigh, and Starscream's talons pricked him.

Blurr had no hope of holding out. Especially not when Starscream licked at him again. Blurr shuddered and slammed his hips down, coming with a startled shout all over the pillow. Heat flooded his body, his knees digging into the nest, and he pushed back against Starscream to extend the sensation.

“Mm.” Starscream's teeth grazed his right ass cheek, giving it a gentle bite that was all pressure and no tearing. “That sounded like a good one.”

Sweat slicked Blurr's skin. He unburied his face from the pillow, turning his head to the side.

“Are you trying to break me?” Blurr asked.

Starscream chuckled. “No. I just want you to be relaxed. And you are, aren't you?”

Blurr rested his head on the pillow, his entire body filled with a languor despite the sticky mess beneath him. “Nothing could bother me right now.”

“Exactly.” Starscream stroked his ass and then braced his free hand next to Blurr's side, leaning over Blurr to press a kiss to Blurr's cheek. “I will not cause you pain.”

“I believe you.” Blurr wriggled under Starscream's hand. “So keep going.”

“Yes, dear.” Starscream's lips moved to his ear, teeth tugging on the lobe, before he moved back into place.

Blurr closed his eyes and inhaled slowly, listening to the sound of his heartbeat gradually ease. He dipped his chin and looked over his shoulder as Starscream rested one hand on his ass and lifted the dildo from where it had been resting next to him.

Starscream eyed the dildo with an intensity he usually reserved for the advanced physics books Blurr brought for him. Then he shrugged and popped the end of it into his mouth, tongue curling all around it.

“What are you doing?” Blurr demanded, eyes wide.

Starscream gave him a sideways look. “I can't very well stick it in dry, and Perceptor didn't think to supply you with some lubricant.”

“Oh.” Blurr's cheeks heated. “Carry on then.”

Starscream chuckled and patted him on the ass. He didn't seem at all bothered by the fact his clava had been standing at attention since he first urged Blurr onto his stomach and that it leaked copiously. Harpies had some kind of sexual stamina.

It was unfair.

Starscream licked the dildo again and then pulled it from his mouth with a pop. It glistened with his spit as he directed his attention to Blurr's ass, one hand massaging as the other urged the tip of it toward Blurr's hole.

Blurr sucked his bottom lip into his mouth and buried his face in the pillow again. It was better to muffle all the embarrassing sounds he was going to make. Because anal play was one of the fastest ways to get him off, and Starscream was giving him some seriously undivided attention.

“You always hide from me,” Starscream murmured as the tip of the dildo rested against Blurr's ring, applying a slight pressure. Starscream moved it in tiny circles. “What is there to embarrassed of?”

“I'm not hiding,” Blurr said, his voice muffled by the pillow.

“Evidence seems to indicate to the contrary,” Starscream said dryly.

A light nudge and the dildo slid into Blurr in slow, steady increments. A shiver tap-danced down his spine as the toy met no resistance, eased by Blurr's state of relaxation and all the effort Starscream had put forth.

He gripped the pillow tighter, exhaling in a burst as pleasure echoed through his body. His dick started to thicken again, his ass clenching around the intruder, even as Starscream carefully worked it deeper. Slowly, almost too slowly.

“Good?” Starscream asked.

Blurr pushed his knees further apart and rolled his ass backward, forcing the dildo deeper, until he reached a broader part of it. He felt the stretch of his rim, a sharp pinch, and stopped, panting.

“Blurr?”

“Yeah,” he blurted out, his fingers kneading at the pillow. “I'm fine. Keep going. Promise. I'm fine. Don't stop.”

The back of one of Starscream's hands stroked down his back. “If you're not--”

“Then I'll say something!” Blurr turned his head, trying to glare over his shoulder but failing miserably as another rush of pleasure made him shiver. “Please, Star. You're driving me crazy.”

Starscream chuckled. “Very well. You've convinced me.”

The dildo moved within Blurr, pushing a little deeper, until he felt it sliding free, a slow and aching motion that he swore touched everything inside of him. He let out a long moan, fingers gripping the pillow so tightly that they ached.

Starscream continued to work the dildo within him. In and out. Sometimes, he withdrew it completely to stroke the tip around Blurr's rim, and then he would push it back in again, hitting different angles every time.

Blurr turned into a panting, sweating mess. His hair stuck out in all directions and clung to the back of his head. He was beyond the point of coherent commentary.

He was begging? When had he started begging? But it was a litany of words that somehow involved Starscream's name and a request for deeper, harder, more. His toes curled and his dick throbbed beneath him, dribbling everywhere.

And then Starscream angled the dildo just right, striking that special place inside of him, and Blurr jerked, entire body thrashing as he lit up with pleasure.

“Star!” Blurr tightened his belly, trying to stave off his orgasm. “Just fuck me already, god damn it!”

Wow.

That was… a little more vicious than he intended.

But he meant it, too.

There was a moment's pause before Starscream chuckled and the dildo slid out of him. “You make a compelling argument.”

“Good.” Blurr tucked his elbows beneath his chest, drew up his knees, and waited. “I'm ready. I'm more than ready. I swear.”

“I believe you.”

Starscream shifted his weight and his grip, and Blurr was quite sure he couldn't make himself any more available than he already was. His heart beat in anticipation. His breathing quickened. He sucked on his bottom lip.

Starscream nudged forward with a tentative pressure. He was barely thicker than the dildo, but he was long. Blurr knew that no matter how much he had prepared, he could never take all of Starscream. They simply weren't that physically compatible.

But the sensation was incredible. Starscream breaching him inch by inch, so smooth and hot, the little ridges on his clava catching at Blurr's rim. He clenched down around it, orgasm hanging in the wings like a volcano ready to erupt.

Starscream exhaled sharply, and there was a prick of talons on his ass before Starscream inched even deeper. The tiny knobs on his clava massaged Blurr on the inside, rubbing right over that sensitive knot inside of him. Pleasure shot like lightning through his body.

Blurr buried his face in the pillow, pushing his ass back. “--'s good,” he managed to get out, rocking back and forth across the nestbed. “Keep – oh god – keep doing what you're doing.”

He curled into himself, knees digging into the padding, urging his ass higher. Starscream's clava pushed deeper as Starscream leaned forward, curling around him from behind. The tickle of his feathers against Blurr's ass and back made him tremble.

Blurr growled into the pillow. The tip of his dick rubbed over and over against the pillow beneath him, and the sensation was maddening.

He felt Starscream's exhalations against his upper back between his shoulder blades. Starscream leaned over him, easy given their height difference. His exhales teased the back of Blurr's neck, and then his lips followed, pressing a kiss to his nape.

Blurr shivered. He clenched around Starscream's clava. The harpy moved within him in slow, shallow thrusts. Each forward push of his hips raked against Blurr's prostate.

Starscream's teeth grazed his nape. Blurr pressed his forehead to the pillow, sucking in desperate breath after desperate breath. The air was hot. His skin was sticky.

Blurr let out a garbled noise that might have been Starscream's name, just as he felt the prick of pressure on the back of his neck. It was a flash of pain that coincided with Starscream pushing into him at just the right angle.

His control shattered.

Blurr shouted as he came, spilling on the pillows again and clenching hard on Starscream's clava. His toes curled, and his fingers tightened into aching fists, but it was all secondary to the pleasure spreading through him like a lightning storm.

Starscream warbled something and then his teeth clamped down on the back of Blurr's nape. His grip on Blurr's hips tightened, little pricks of his talons hard enough to draw blood.

Blurr moaned as Starscream's clava throbbed and then pulsed as Starscream came inside him. He was going to pay for that later, but for now, he didn’t care.

Blurr collapsed beneath Starscream, and Starscream followed him down, his grip on both Blurr's hips and nape relentless. His hips moved in little sharp jerks as though caught in the throes of pleasure.

“Oh, god.” Blurr moaned, his breathing sharp and erratic as he went limp.

Starscream's teeth loosened from his nape, his tongue flicking across the marks. “Sorry,” he murmured, pressing a kiss to the back of Blurr's shoulder before he rubbed his cheek against it. “Got carried away.”

Blurr wiggled his ass, Starscream still within him, though the harpy's clava was softening. “You can get carried away anytime you want. That was hot as fuck.”

Starscream withdrew from Blurr, releasing his grip on Blurr's hip at the same time. Cool air washed over the pricks his talons left behind.

“Mm. No, I shouldn't because I could have hurt you,” Starscream retorted but it was too soft to carry any weight. He dropped a line of kisses down Blurr's spine.

“Except you didn't,” Blurr said.

Starscream's lips grazed the base of his spine. “You're bleeding.”

Blurr snorted. “I've had worse papercuts, I'm sure.” He managed to work an arm free from beneath him and touched the back of his neck where Starscream had bit him. “You didn't even break the skin, Star.”

“I did here,” Starscream said. He laid a palm over Blurr’s right ass cheek to demonstrate.

Blurr shrugged. “So I sit a little awkwardly for a day. That was going to happen regardless. Being a harpy had nothing to do with it.”

Starscream's lips grazed over his right ass cheek. “Still, it is impolite to harm one's partner when they did not ask for it. And I had no right to mark you.” His tongue flicked over Blurr's skin, perhaps over one of the scratches.

It was actually kinda… hot. The idea of Starscream tasting his blood. Blurr's cheeks burned.

“Next time, I'll ask for it then, so you don't feel guilty.” Blurr traced the back of his neck again.

He liked Starscream's teeth on his neck, too. It made the whole thing feel desperate and primal.

It made him wish he was a harpy. So Starscream wouldn’t have to worry about holding back. He could pin Blurr down, fuck him nice and deep, bottom out. Be rough and dangerous and uncontained.

Blurr shivered.

“I'll be more careful.” Starscream rubbed Blurr's ass again before warm exhalations ghosted over Blurr's wrinkled ring.

It twitched, slightly sore and stretched. He could also feel the damp of Starscream's spill and knew a bath would be in short order.

If only he could make himself get up.

“I didn't say you had to be,” Blurr grumbled. He tried to look over his shoulder and managed to get a glimpse of his ass, the reddened marks upon it, and then Starscream's crest.

It was all the warning he had before Starscream lapped at him, balls and everything. Primus, it would never stop being a little weird how Starscream liked to lick him clean. Maybe it was a harpy thing? He could probably ask Perceptor and get away with it.

Blurr sucked in a breath and buried his face back in the damp pillow. “You don't have to do that.”

“Perhaps I enjoy it,” Starscream said with a careful kiss to Blurr's ring. “I made a mess; I should clean it.”

Oh, god.

Blurr chewed the inside of his cheek. “By that argument, I should do something about all the come beneath me.”

Starscream chuckled and his mouth descended upon Blurr. He squirmed, face heating. If he'd had anything left in him for another orgasm, his dick would be getting hard again.

Somewhere in there, though, the embarrassment had gone away. He was lying on his belly, on a pillow soaked in his own come, his ass in the air and a harpy paying loving attention to it, and he didn't fragging care.

Okay, he cared. But he didn't care so much anymore.

Starscream shifted his attention to the marks on Blurr's ass. He laved each one in turn, causing only a slight sting, before he finally stopped.

“Satisfied?” Blurr asked.

“Yes. For now.” There was amusement in Starscream's voice.

Blurr forced his exhausted body into motion and rolled onto his back, getting his first clear look at Starscream since the whole thing began. And yeah, his ass was a little sore and the pillows felt a rough on his scraped skin.

He'd do it again.

Starscream looked pleased with himself. His clava had retreated into his sheath, but his featherdown was damp from their fluids. A steady dribble leaked from his antrum.

Blurr stretched his arms over his head, well aware how enticing it made him look. “Does that mean a bath's in order then?”

Starscream chuckled and crawled over him, pausing to lay a kiss to his belly button for some weird reason. “That can be arranged. Though given the current time, we're likely to draw an audience.”

“Oh.”

They'd all see the marks on his ass and neck. Well, if his hair was wet, it might cover his nape, but nothing could be done about the obvious marks of harpy lovin' on his ass. They might all know he and Starscream engaged in illicit activities, but they didn't know.

Starscream laughed and kissed his way up Blurr's chest, nosing into Blurr's throat. “Are you embarrassed, Blurr?”

“Shut up. It's a human thing.”

Starscream's feathers tickled his knees. He radiated heat, too. But he worked his way back up to Blurr's mouth and stole his lips for a kiss that tasted like himself. Salty and bitter and kind of gross, but whatever. Blurr could learn to deal.

It was worth it for Starscream, who pressed their foreheads together immediately after and snuggled Blurr, half on top of him and half off to the side. One arm – and its attached wing – blanked Blurr.

“So,” Blurr said conversationally. “Are we going to declare the toy a success?”

Starscream nuzzled into the hollow of Blurr's neck and shoulder. “I owe Perceptor a thank you. But in the meantime, I have a question for you.”

Blurr let his eyes drift shut. “Go for it.” He’d worry about lunch later.

“Will you stay a few days?”

He cracked one eye open. “Why?”

“There's a festival to honor Adaptus soon.”

“Who?”

“Adaptus.” Starscream shifted his weight to better see Blurr. “The first harpy. Legend has it that we all came from his core.”

The name sounded vaguely familiar. “Oh. Wouldn't I be out of place then? Since I don't worship him.”

“Oh. We don't worship him,” Starscream corrected. “We don't think of Adaptus as a god. We honor him as the First.” His lips curved in a grin and he whispered conspiratorially, “Legends say Adaptus was once human.”

Blurr squinted at his lover. “You told me harpies don't have magic.”

“We don't. But that doesn't mean Adaptus didn't.” Starscream pressed their foreheads together. “We had to come from somewhere, Blurr.”

He supposed he never thought about it. It felt like the harpies had always been around. There were nests and aeries all over Cybertron, usually in proximity to a human settlement. In fact, as far as Blurr knew, there was an aerie in each of the districts of Cybertron. Some were further out from the larger human cities, but still, there were as many different harpy flocks as there were human cities.

“Sure, sure.” Blurr exhaled. “I'll stay for the festival. It sounds fun. But for now, how about we sleep?”

“I thought you wanted lunch. And a bath.”

“They can wait. I need a nap first,” Blurr grumbled and tucked his head into Starscream’s body, burying himself against warm feathers and an increasingly familiar scent.

“Fair enough.” Starscream nuzzled Blurr’s hair, audibly inhaling. “I’ll wake you in a bit.”

Blurr drifted off to sleep on that promise.

***

 


	24. Chapter 24

When Starscream had said festival, he wasn't kidding.  
  
Blurr woke to cheerful music spilling up from the lowest floor, and for the rest of the day, it didn't stop. Whether the harpy musicians were playing their vaguely instruments, or local instrumental music poured from solar-powered speakers, the entire aerie was abuzz with the sound of music. It had an infectious cheer to it.  
  
There were no duties to be had, Starscream explained. No Gathering. No cleaning. Just volunteers for decorating, and minding the music, and making the various meals. All fledgelings would be with their respective parents, and the patrols and guards would be minimally staffed and rotated out so everyone could enjoy the festivities.  
  
"What should I do?" Blurr asked as he sat with Starscream in the common room, feasting on an array of fresh-baked muffins and jams from last summer. Apparently, Drift was the head chef when it came to making the tastiest fruit and berry preserves.  
  
"Enjoy the vacation," Starscream suggested with a laugh. He nudged Blurr with an elbow, leaning in, smelling warm and sweet and happy. "No one expects you to do anything, but we can help set up if you're feeling antsy."  
  
"I'd rather be helping," Blurr admitted. If he was ever going to consider the aerie his home, even if only in part, he wanted to fit in. He didn't want to be dead weight.  
  
Starscream's eyes lit with approval, and Blurr knew he'd made the right choice. "We can set the tables.”  
  
And so they did.  
  
After breakfast, Blurr followed Starscream down to the bottom floor, where tables and stools were in the process of being removed from a small storage closet off to the side.  
  
Decorations were already in the process of going up, and Blurr gaped at the multiple strings of colored glass, cheerful baubles, and solar-powered fairy lights strung along the interior. Ruffled streamers dangled from the ceiling and coiled around stabilizing columns.  
  
"If you're here to work, I greatly appreciate it, Starscream," said a large blue and red harpy with a kind smile. He had a sling around his body, and a blue ball of fluff tucked into it.  
  
"You'll have to thank Blurr for convincing me to help rather than lounge in bed until later," Starscream said as he urged Blurr in front of him, resting his hands on Blurr's shoulders. "Blurr, this is Orion, and the hatchling is Arcee."  
  
Orion chuckled and tipped his head, one hand carefully cradling his hatchling. "It's a pleasure to meet you, Blurr. I hope you feel comfortable among us. We are happy to host you."  
  
Blurr blinked and raised his eyebrows. "Thanks for the welcome. I don't want to step on any toes, so if I do something to offend, let me know."  
  
"Kaon takes all sorts. It would have to be intentional to offend," Orion assured him. He patted the sleeping bundle against his chest. "The stage needs to be assembled, if you and Blurr want to take care of that Starscream."  
  
"Sounds easy enough." Starscream gave Blurr's shoulders a little pat and squeeze. "Come on, cupcake. Let's make ourselves useful."  
  
Blurr chuckled. "Cupcake? That's a new one."  
  
"I'm trying it out."  
  
They left Orion to overseeing the festival area, and Starscream tugged him to a stack of supplies Blurr assumed was meant to make a stage. Blurr hunted for instructions, but couldn't find any. Which he supposed was fine since Starscream seemed to know what he was doing.  
  
“So, I thought most harpies couldn’t talk to humans,” Blurr said as he held one of the larger pieces in place so Starscream could slot another piece into it.  
  
“Most can’t,” Starscream huffed, doing most of the heavy lifting. “Kaon, by its nature, has more than its share. Rodimus and Orion were both taught when they were younger, since they were expected to be able to communicate with the humans.”  
  
Blurr furrowed his brow. “Why?”  
  
Starscream grabbed another piece, moved it into position, and the stage started to take shape. “Because they are both princes and heirs to the throne. Or were, I should say, since they both abandoned their respective flocks.”  
  
Princes? Blurr might have heard mention of that for Rodimus before, and he still found it hard to believe. It was easier to see in Orion, who had a stately air to him, despite the casual way he spoke and his gentle smiles.  
  
“Huh.” Blurr tilted his head. “What about Whirl? Is he a prince, too?”  
  
Starscream chuckled. “No. I don’t know why Whirl knows a human language. You’ll have to ask him.”  
  
No, thanks. Whirl was nice enough for that one conversation, but he was intimidating. Like many of the harpies who gave Blurr some distance. Then again, how many of them could talk to him? Perhaps that was the reason for the hesitation.  
  
“I’ll keep that in mind,” Blurr said.  
  
It took them twenty minutes to finish constructing the stage, though Blurr privately thought ‘stage’ was a generous term. It was basically a platform for a single harpy to be seen across a standing crowd. Starscream explained that whoever was speaking for the festival would use it to be heard.  
  
After that, he and Starscream were press-ganged into hanging an absurd amount of streamers. The sense of joy in the air was infectious, and Blurr couldn’t stop the smile on his face. The harpies laughed and chattered, and the music maintained the joyous atmosphere.  
  
Lunch was communal, Blurr and Starscream sprawled across the main foyer floor with the rest of the preparers, sharing plates of vegetarian sandwiches. Piles of beansprouts, lettuce, sliced tomato and cheese slapped between slices of nutty, brown bread. For the first time, Blurr did not miss meat.  
  
Okay, no. That was a lie. Bacon would have made the sandwiches  _perfect_.  
  
He told Starscream as much.  
  
Starscream laughed and dragged him close for a nuzzle. "I can't get you bacon, but I might have a line on some dried salmon and jerky for later."  
  
"What? Really? I thought harpies don't eat meat." Blurr's mouth watered just thinking about it. Jerky was a snack staple for traveling, and salmon was his favorite fish.  
  
"We typically don't, but word has it the raptors will be joining us tonight, and they do," Starscream said with a nip to his ear.  
  
Blurr flushed, squirming a little under the eyes drawn their way. But he and Starscream weren't the only couple getting snuggly. A lot of other harpies were very hands on, moreso than Blurr was used to seeing in a public space.  
  
"Raptors?" Blurr echoed.  
  
"You'll see. They’re hard to explain without context." Starscream pressed a kiss to his cheek then mercifully gave Blurr some space. "Come on. Finish your lunch. We can take a nap afterward."  
  
And by nap, Starscream meant a hot, quick coupling in Starscream's nest, their respective dicks colliding and rubbing together while Starscream kissed and nipped all over Blurr's neck and chest, leaving little red marks behind. Blurr couldn't find it in him to protest, not when Starscream drew a second, lazier orgasm out of him by licking him clean.  
  
They did, in fact, fall asleep afterward, and Blurr supposed it counted as a nap. When he next woke, it was muzzily, his body sticky with sweat, and the formerly quiet music now louder and more energetic.  
  
Starscream greeted him with lazy kisses. The comfort of the nest and Starscream wrapped around him was something Blurr didn't want to leave. He was curious about the festival, but he was also growing dangerously addicted to the feel of feathers against his skin.  
  
"It's almost time for the Tale of Adaptus," Starscream murmured as his lips traced the small bites and nips he'd left an hour or so previous. "Here, they recite the tale of Adaptus every year so long as they have new arrivals or fledges. And since Kaon is constantly growing, they haven't skipped a year yet."  
  
Blurr's pulse quickened, his dick threatening to rise at the slow sweep of Starscream's lips over his skin. "What's the tale of Adaptus?"  
  
"You'll find out." Starscream chuckled and kissed him, slow and savoring, as if they had all the time in the world.  
  
Slow kisses gave way to lazy kisses and lingering strokes, their bodies twisting together in a familiar dance. Blurr's skin felt electric, on fire with need, and it wasn't so much that he wanted to come, but that he wanted to linger in the sensation and enjoy it for what it was.  
  
"We have to get cleaned up," Starscream said between kisses. "We'll be very frowned upon if we miss the retelling."  
  
 _I want to stay here forever_.  
  
Blurr swallowed thickly and carded his fingers through Starscream's feathers. "We shouldn't offend," he agreed, but he made no move to slide from beneath Starscream.  
  
Outside the curtain, the music rose in volume, and footsteps passed by, as if everyone was starting to gather. Through the small slits in the wall, Blurr could see the dying rays of sunlight. He suspected the main entrance would be quite beautiful now, with all the fairy lights and lanterns aglow.  
  
Eventually, they roused.  
  
A quick wipedown and Blurr sliding into clothes to preserve his modesty, Starscream led him out of the nest. Lights twinkled all along the walkways, and music floated up from the central atrium with a cheery beat. Flutes and other wind instruments combined with drums and what sounded like a violin. It was like nothing Blurr had ever heard.  
  
Starscream threaded his fingers through one of Blurr's, though his hand nearly eclipsed Blurr's, and led him down the central spiral, closer to the rail so Blurr could peek over. All of Kaon's residents had gathered below, surrounding the central platform he had helped build earlier. They sat in little groups, filling up every inch of space.  
  
Starscream paused on the second floor and nudged Blurr, gesturing to the entrance. "You see the clump of harpies there by the hall to the bathing springs?"  
  
Blurr peered down, and his eyes widened. The group was hard to miss. While all the other harpies in the aerie were brightly colored and brightly feathered, these harpies were not. Their feathers were more brown and black and gray, dull as if to blend into a landscape. They were also sparse in comparison. Their talons were sharper and more defined.  
  
"Those are the raptors. You see now what I mean?"  
  
"Yeah. They're definitely different."  
  
Starscream chuckled. "Yes, they are. Most other flocks wouldn't even allow them inside their aerie. But Liege Megatron welcomes anyone who desires a home." He kept walking, tugging Blurr along with him. "The raptors are led by Grimlock. He's the biggest one."  
  
At least on even size with Megatron, if not bigger, Blurr thought. "There was a purplish one with them though. Is he a Raptor, too?"  
  
"No, that's Misfire. Still not sure the story behind that. He's Grimlock's mate, and a part of their pack, but he's not technically a raptor."  
  
Huh. Interesting.  
  
Blurr and Starscream were of the last to arrive. There was no room at the front, so they were left to either stand at the back, or sit off to the side. Starscream lead the way, putting them near Drift and Perceptor.  
  
Blurr couldn’t bring himself to meet their eyes.  
  
Starscream pointed out other harpies, though Blurr doubted he’d remember them all. "Orion's going to recite the Tale for us. That harpy standing just behind him, holding Arcee? That's Shockwave. They're mated. And Soundwave is the blue harpy standing next to Megatron. He's got guardianship over the twins."  
  
"Sideswipe and Sunstreaker," Blurr said with a nod. "Rodimus pointed them out to me."  
  
"Not just. He's got Frenzy and Rumble, and Laserbeak and Buzzsaw, too. I think that's Buzzsaw on his shoulder." Starscream squinted before shrugging. "I still have trouble remembering which is which."  
  
They ended up on the side, beneath the overhang of the second floor. Starscream leaned against a wall, in a cradle of thick ridges of tree trunk. He pulled Blurr back to lean against his front, though facing outward. It gave Blurr a great view of the entire thing, but left him out of direct view of curious harpies. Trust Starscream to pick the perfect spot.  
  
There were so many harpies. They were a sea of color spread out across the foyer floor. Reds and blues and greens and blacks and purples and pinks. So many different shades. There were large burly ones, and tall gangly ones, or short stouter ones. They came in as many different shapes as they came in colors, though Blurr noted children-sized harpies were few and far between. Harpies weren't known for populating quickly.  
  
Starscream kept rattling off names and pointing them out, but Blurr's head spun, and the colors swam in front of him.  
  
Then Megatron stepped onto the platform, and as he did, a hush fell over the crowd, like a wave that consumed the murmuring and the chatter. The music ended on a gentle crescendo. And like all gatherings, someone coughed at the back of the crowd.  
  
"I don't need to tell you all what today is," Megatron began with a rumble that was far more friendly than the tone he'd taken with Blurr. He didn’t understand the language, but Starscream murmured a translation in his ear. "We're here today to celebrate our existence, and to honor the first of us, and perhaps the best of us depending who you ask. Further, we come together today to welcome all the new arrivals to our flock, those who've sought safe harbor, and those new to the world."  
  
Starscream’s arms tightened warmly around Blurr. He pressed a kiss to Blurr’s temple, and Blurr leaned in to the comfort Starscream provided. He wondered if Megatron counted him among those new arrivals, or if Blurr was considered an untimely visitor.  
  
Megatron shifted and gestured off to the side, “I’ll now turn the floor over to Orion, who so many of you ask again and again to recite the Tale of Adaptus.”  
  
"Thank you, Liege," Orion said, his warm tones filling the atrium, and his smile as welcoming as when Blurr met him. Starscream continued to translate, thankfully, so Blurr didn’t feel so out of place. "And thank you everyone for coming today, for making Kaon the aerie that it is. We have a truly wonderful home here, and I, for one, am proud to be part of it."  
  
Cheers and whistles accompanied his declaration, and Blurr found himself smiling, uplifted by the general atmosphere of joy in the atrium. Starscream hummed behind him, briefly tightening the embrace.  
  
Orion waited for the noise to die down before he continued, "Now there are many stories about Adaptus. Each flock and aerie have their own tales. The one I've chosen today is my favorite of them. It is, of course, a romance."  
  
He paused at this moment to look over his shoulder, catching Shockwave's eye, and Blurr could see the love flowing between them.  
  
"You are predictable, Orion," Megatron commented with a quiet air of affectionate amusement.  
  
"Yes, I am." Orion chuckled and continued, "By this legend, Adaptus was the heir to the throne of a united human peoples, back when Cybertron was new, and everyone lived under the same dynasty."  
  
Orion's voice took on a storytelling cadence, and Blurr was enraptured by it, as were so many of the harpies listening eagerly. A respective silence had fell through the atrium, but a soft, wordless music played from the speakers to accompany his narrative.  
  
"Adaptus was an only child, loved by his parents and his people. They looked forward to the day he'd ascend the throne. He had a bright future ahead of him. But Adaptus made a mistake, one every royal knew to avoid, but things such as these are often inevitable." Orion's smile dimmed by a fraction. "Adaptus fell in love."  
  
Orion had a talent for storytelling. Blurr tightened his arms over Starscream's, soaking into the warmth of him, reading the tragedy of the tale long before it's end.  
  
"If his heart had chosen a member of the high class, perhaps it wouldn't have been an issue. But Adaptus had fallen for a peasant, and worse in the eyes of his parents, Adaptus had fallen for a man."  
  
"His parents tried to dissuade him. His father reminded Adaptus of responsibility, of duty, of burdens. They'd hear no compromises because the line of blood had to remain strong. If it fell, so would Cybertron. Adaptus, however, was as stubborn as his makers. They wouldn't bend, neither would he. So he conspired to leave his home. He would be with the man he loved no matter what."  
  
This wasn't going to end happily. It never did. Strange how such an old story, echoed into the present, and they hadn't learned a thing, had they? Not humans and not harpies.  
  
Blurr shivered, heartsick.  
  
"They were betrayed by a servant Adaptus trusted, who told the king of the prince's plan. Before he could flee, his lover was seized by the royal guard, and despite Adaptus' protests, his begging, the man he loved was executed for the crime of manipulating a royal."  
  
The music in the background softened to a mournful, lyric-less song, an acappella choir of female voices and the soft strum of a piano.  
  
"Tormented by grief, Adaptus denounced his father, his mother, and his kingdom. He renounced his claim to the throne, declaring he would never serve the purpose of anything but his own heart. He left his kingdom and ventured into the wildlands, to what was a certain death. Or at least, that was his intention."  
  
"The royal guard gave chase, determined to return Adaptus to the family who loved him, and the duty waiting for him. They chased him all the way to the cliffs overlooking an endless sea, until Adaptus was cornered with nowhere to run. The captain of the guard begged him to return, but Adaptus refused."  
  
"He'd rather die, he claimed, and he ripped the royal pendant from his throat, throwing it over the edge, where it shattered upon the rocks. The kingdom's legacy is broken, he said, and so am I. With that, he stepped back, tossing himself over the edge, too quick for anyone to stop him."  
  
"What happened next, no one can say for sure." Orion's voice was solemn, but it took on an edge of wonder, that the music matched. "Some think Primus took pity on Adaptus. Others say the pendant had trapped ancient magics, and it was they which answered Adaptus' pain. And many, like me, believe the pure strength of Adaptus' love changed him in that moment, twisting his body into one which could fly, saving his life from the jagged rocks below."  
  
"The last thing the captain of the royal guard saw was a giant bird taking to the sky, quickly joined by a second of equal beauty, before they vanished into the sunset, Adaptus and his lover, together again."  
  
It sounded like a fairy tale in every sense of the term, but as the flock cheered and clapped for Orion, Blurr supposed that was the point.  
  
Megatron stepped up beside Orion once more, and the two harpies clasped hands before drawing each other into a hug. Their smiles were radiant, if Blurr had to pick a word, and they said something to one another before Orion stepped back, next to Shockwave, liberating his hatchling from his mate's arms.  
  
"It's a story that has meaning for a lot of us, isn't it?" Megatron said, his voice carrying easily over the noise until everyone hushed again. "Acceptance is the founding principle of Kaon, and if I have anything to say about it, nothing will ever change. And what better time to celebrate that than during the Festival of Adaptus?"  
  
Megatron raised his hands in a welcoming gesture. "So I say: Eat. Dance. Laugh. Enjoy yourselves tonight and remember why we're here and what we're trying to build. And most of all, have fun." He grinned, and for the first time, Blurr saw the joy in their leader, rather than a stern distance. "Tracks? Play the music."  
  
The lovely violin and piano concerto in the background faded out to nothing, only to be replaced with a lively beat and eager drums. Harpies leapt up from the floor, away from the wall, and the air vibrated with their intensity.  
  
"Wow. This is exciting," Blurr commented, raising his voice a bit to be heard.  
  
"Much more so than the celebration back in Vos," Starscream agreed, clearing his throat a little after the extended whispering. "He left a few details out, but small wonder that is Orion's favorite version. It's very similar to his own history, with the exception of his lover being executed."  
  
Blurr turned in Starscream's arms, rising up to press a kiss to the curve of Starscream's jaw. After that story, he didn't care if anyone saw him. "You said he used to be a prince. He left home because of Shockwave?"  
  
"Because he wanted to love someone his flock forbade, yes." Starscream stroked a knuckle down Blurr's face. "It's a good story. You should ask him sometime. There are a lot of harpies who are here because they can't be with their lovers anywhere else."  
  
"Like us," Blurr said.  
  
Starscream grinned. "Yes. Like us."  
  
Blurr squeezed Starscream. "Whatever happened to the king and queen?"  
  
"Mmm. According to that legend, after Adaptus vanished, the king had no heir, and upon his death, the lords and ladies of the city squabbled over who would rule. A civil war broke out, and the empire fell into ruin. It's why Cybertron is divided to this day." Starscream rolled his shoulders in a shrug. "Whether or not it's true, I don't know. But I say there's always an element of truth to legend."  
  
Blurr's recollection of human history was pretty sketchy, but he did recall there being a massive war in ancient times, which had led to the division of Cybertron into city-states. He couldn't remember what had led to the war. He supposed it was possible there was some truth to Adaptus' story after all.  
  
“What about Vos? What was Adaptus’ story there?” Blurr asked.  
  
Starscream’s lips pressed together, his gaze turning a little distant. “Far less romantic, I assure you.” He sighed, barely audible above the noise and bustle of the harpies milling around behind them, many rushing toward the tables piled high with food. “Adaptus was betrayed and turned into a harpy as punishment for defying the will of Primus. Whatever crime he committed, it is the reason humans fear us.”  
  
Wow. Definitely a change of pace from the tale Orion offered.  
  
“Huh,” Blurr said, because what could he really say to that? “I think I like the romantic one better.”  
  
Starscream chuckled. “Me, too.” He bent down for another nuzzle, his hands sweeping along Blurr’s sides. “Come on. Let’s go have some fun.”  
  
“Food first,” Blurr declared as his stomach grumbled.  
  
“Food first, my starving racer.” Starscream laughed and pulled him into the happy crowd of swirling bodies in the center of the atrium. They cut through the middle, heading straight for the clusters surrounding the tables.  
  
There weren’t any plates or utensils. Everything was meant to be grazed, eaten on the go, and the tables returned to, time and time again. Blurr grabbed a muffin of some kind, and peered into a wooden cup as Starscream slothed a thick, wine-like liquid into it. A sweet, honey smell floated to his nose.  
  
“What is it?” Blurr asked.  
  
“Mead. Fermented honey and fruit,” Starscream said as he licked the rim of his cup before he took a hearty swig of it. “Much better than your beer and liquor.”  
  
Blurr tasted it, and it seeped down his throat with a cinnamon-like heat, resting in his belly like whiskey, and sweet on his tongue. Primus, it was delicious.  
  
He tipped the cup back and drank every last drop. “More,” he demanded, wiggling his cup pointedly.  
  
Starscream laughed and poured him another half-cup. “Slow down. It’s stronger than you think.”  
  
“We’ll see.”  
  
This was a party, after all. And Blurr intended to enjoy every moment of it.  
  


~

  
  
Blurr ate until he was stuffed full, and poured cup after cup of the sweet wine on top of it, until he felt warm inside and out, his face flushed and his skin tingling. The world spun around him as he spun on the dance floor, with Starscream, with Rodimus, with Whirl even, and any other friendly harpy who'd take his hand under Starscream's watchful stare.  
  
He always returned to Starscream's arms, however, dancing fast and slow and somewhere in between, twirling across the open foyer floor, surrounded by feathers and laughter and smiles and music pulsing through the floor, into his bare feet.  
  
And when Starscream tugged him into a shadowed alcove, Blurr was nothing but eager, his kisses as desperate as Starscream's, and the throb of his cock hungry for stimulation. Starscream hiked him up, and Blurr automatically folded his legs around Starscream's waist, grinding down eagerly. They rutted together, exchanging sharp-edged kisses and hot breaths, until a hot, sticky mess formed between them, and Blurr didn't care how dirty he was. Starscream pressed him up against the wall, and Blurr came again, with an ease that surprised him, his head spinning and the air tasting sweet and hungry.  
  
"I'm glad you're here," Starscream murmured against his lips, and Blurr tightened his grip and deepened his kisses.  
  
He was glad to be here.  
  
Arousal simmered between them, and Blurr returned to the fray on shaky legs, Starscream at his side, the both of them rumpled and grinning. They weren't the only ones, he noticed, because that was definitely Perceptor towing Drift into a shadowed corner with hunger in his eyes.  
  
What was in the wine?  
  
Blurr asked as much and Starscream laughed, swinging him into another dance. "It's not the wine," he said. "I'll explain later."  
  
"You'd better," Blurr said, and then he laughed and drank another cup, the familiar sensation of being pleasantly soused swirling through his body. He felt like he was floating through the world, and it was easy to forget he was the stranger in a strange land.  
  
He ate. He drank. He danced some more. He lazily kissed Starscream whenever he pleased, and no one told him he couldn't. It was worth it, for the bright joy in Starscream's eyes.  
  
"Take me flying later," Blurr asked as he threaded his fingers through Starscream's feathers and tugged him close, for a slow swaying dance to match the music gently whispering through the speakers.  
  
"Anytime you want," Starscream murmured and kissed him sweetly, his talons a gentle glide through Blurr's hair. "But I have a gift for you."  
  
"What? Now?" Blurr asked, struggling to find his focus through the smear of color and sound and emotion.  
  
Starscream chuckled. "You're adorable. Yes, now." He fished something out of the fluff of feathers around his neck: a sparkling item on a leather thong. "Drift finished it this morning, and I finally got him away from Perceptor long enough to get it."  
  
Oh, so that was where Starscream had vanished earlier, when Blurr was scrapping with Rodimus over a small bowl of raspberries. Rodimus won, but only because Megatron came over and glared Blurr into submission. Unfair. He didn't realize harpies were so serious about their raspberries.  
  
Focus.  
  
Blurr held out his hand, and Starscream laid the item across it. With a closer look, Blurr found a quartz-like rock which had been carved into the shape of a feather, and a thick strip of leather knotted through a hole in one end, to make a necklace.  
  
"I had him make this from one half of the geode you gave me," Starscream explained as he traced the whorls of the feather with the tip of a talon.  
  
Blurr rubbed his thumb over the smooth rock, which sparkled in the fairy lights above. "It's beautiful," he murmured, and slid the loop over his neck, pulling the knot across the string to tighten it up, so the feather would rest over his sternum.  
  
Starscream cupped the back of his neck and pressed their foreheads together. "I'll never abandon you again. I promise. Even if I have to defy my liege to do so."  
  
"I believe you."  
  
Blurr kissed him, emotion blooming inside his chest, chasing away the last knot of tension he'd been carrying since he first biked out to the aerie. It sounded like a promise, in more ways than one, and it was something solid he could hold.  
  
The energy of the festival started to die down, the lights dimming to something low and intimate. Blurr expected everyone to start drifting back to their private berths, but instead, the harpies started to lay down in the center of the foyer, forming a tangled clump of feathery bodies.  
  
"It's tradition," Starscream murmured as he towed Blurr to a position on the edge of a dance floor turned sleeping area. "Our liege picks a spot, and we gather around him." He pointed, and Blurr followed the gesture to the clump of grey and red in the middle.  
  
He recognized Megatron and Rodimus curled together. Orion and Shockwave were nearby, as were Soundwave and the three sets of twins he cared for. A darker spill of black was Ravage, as Starscream had explained earlier.  
  
More and more of the Kaon harpies gathered around their liege, lying together in tangled mounds of feathers, intimate and chaste. Larger harpies, who didn't seem to have a mate, preferred to take up positions on the outer rings, while smaller harpies without mates gravitated toward the center.  
  
Starscream towed Blurr toward Drift and Perceptor -- unsurprisingly.  
  
"It's to emphasize family and community," Starscream explained, though he tilted his head toward a couple of harpies who were sneaking off. "It's not required, but few decline. I suspect those two have more energetic things in mind tonight than sleeping."  
  
Maybe the reason Starscream had burned off his energy with Blurr earlier. Desire thrummed in Blurr's veins, too, but it was a lazy, comfortable heat, rather than the burn of need.  
  
"Sleeping sounds good," Blurr said, because the slow swim of his thoughts were drifting toward exhaustion. While the wine was warm in his belly, and his skin tingled from Starscream's proximity, his legs were weak, and sleep sounded perfect.  
  
Starscream chuckled. "That's the plan, Zippy."  
  
He sat down on the ground next to Perceptor and pulled Blurr down with him, tugging Blurr into the cradle of his body, all warm feathers and warmer body. Blurr hummed as he snuggled close, pillowed on Starscream's chest, the slow, constant thump of Starscream's core a soothing, familiar sound.  
  
"There room for us down there?" a familiar voice asked, and Blurr looked up just as Whirl dropped down beside them, cradling his fledgling.  
  
"So long as Blurr doesn't mind," Starscream said.  
  
"Blurr doesn't care. Blurr wants to sleep," Blurr mumbled.  
  
Whirl laughed, and his chuckle carried across the mingled mass of feathery rainbow. "Blurr drank a bit too much of the fireberry wine, I think."  
  
"Shhh." Blurr closed his eyes, already drifting on the tides of sleep.  
  
He felt Starscream's lips brush his forehead, felt the rumble of Starscream speaking, but the words were a hazy echo to his ears. Sleep claimed him quickly after that, and his dreams were full of music and dancing and whispers.  
  


***


	25. Chapter 25

“Ugh.” 

Blurr put his head between his knees and squeezed his eyes shut, hoping to stop the world from spinning. He tasted bitter on the back of his tongue, and his stomach protested mightily. 

Starscream rubbed his back. “And what did we learn?” he asked. 

“Harpy wine is bad for humans,” Blurr groaned. He tried to breathe deeply, but his body wasn’t having it. 

“I think it was less the wine and more the fact you kept stuffing your face,” Starscream said with a chuckle. His strokes softened, to the perfect rhythm to soothe the roil in Blurr’s belly. 

Blurr sighed. “Please don’t talk about food.” 

Starscream’s amusement washed over him. Blurr tried to concentrate on him, and the noise around him, rather than the disquiet rumbling through his body. He didn’t particularly want to vomit in the main foyer of the aerie. He didn’t want to be that tourist. 

Clean up was underway. The hustle and bustle floated to Blurr’s ears as furniture was disassembled and put away, food was cleared, decorations were removed, and harpies moved on to their usual duties. The Gatherers had already gone out for the day -- Blurr heard the party meet then leave. 

“I should be helping,” Blurr mumbled. 

“Yes. Next time. This one serves as a learning experience,” rumbled a voice, and Blurr was glad he couldn’t seem to lift his head. He didn’t want to see the judgment in Megatron’s eyes. 

“Yes, sir,” Blurr said. Shame heated his cheeks. 

Starscream patted him gently on the back. “Ignore him. He’s upset because his own partner is equally under the weather for the same reason.” He leaned in closer. “Plus he’s a little hungover himself.” 

“I am not,” Megatron replied, indignant, but he must not have intended to argue more, because he wandered away, leaving Blurr to his misery and Starscream chaperoning him. 

“I feel like death,” Blurr groaned. 

“You’ll live.” Starscream pressed a kiss to his sweaty forehead. “Think you can hold it together long enough for me to carry you to our room?” 

Blurr swallowed past the bitter at the back of his throat. The world didn’t feel as shaky beneath him as it did when he first woke up. He didn’t know if walking was within his wheelhouse, but if Starscream did all the work, maybe he could manage. 

“I apologize in advance if I throw up on you,” Blurr said by way of answer. 

Starscream was careful in his handling, however, and while the world tossed beneath Blurr, he held to his composure while Starscream carried him up to their nest. It helped to squeeze his eyes shut and bury his face against Starscream’s chest. 

“I should have thought about how a human might react to the wine,” Starscream mused aloud as he tucked Blurr into the nest after divesting him of his sweat-sticky clothes. He produced a bottle from heaven only knew where, and screwed off the cap for Blurr. “Here. Drink some of this.” 

Blurr, cradled by pillows and blankets, sighed and obeyed. The water was lukewarm, but it helped wash the acrid taste from his mouth. “I’ll be fine after I sleep it off.” He thought longingly of the bottle of Pepto in his mini-fridge. Next time he came to visit, he’d bring a sleepover kit. 

Starscream sat beside him, gently carding his talontips through Blurr’s hair. “I should go help with the clean up. Will you be alright without me?” 

“It’s sweet you think I’ve never dealt with a hangover before.” Blurr managed a tired chuckle and grabbed Starscream’s hand, pulling it close to press a kiss to his palm. “I’ll be fine. Go earn our keep.” 

Starscream bent down and brushed a kiss over his forehead. “I’ll come and check on you in a bit. I think they’re making porridge in the kitchen. I’ll bring you some.” 

“Blergh. Don’t talk to me about food.” 

Starscream laughed quietly and heaved himself out of the bed, but not before tucking the blankets more firmly around Blurr, like he was seriously sick and not suffering from overindulgence. 

“Don’t throw up in my bed,” Starscream warned, and then he was gone in a swish of tailfeathers and door-curtain. 

“Pfft. It’s my bed, too,” Blurr muttered, and pulled a blanket over his head, diving gamely back into sleep in the hopes that his stomach would stop churning. 

So he slept. 

And he slept. 

And he slept some more. 

It was maybe mid-afternoon when Blurr surfaced, muzzy but far less nauseated, and feeling more human. He drank the bottle of water, dragged himself out of the nest, and devoured a couple of the apples in Starscream’s pantry-basket -- green apples, he’d heard they were good for nausea. 

It took him a few minutes to realize he was still naked, and it didn’t bother him. He sat, buck-naked, on one of Starscream’s stools, with a breeze coming from Primus knew where to tickle his bare skin, and he didn’t feel the urge to grab the nearest blanket and hide. 

Huh. 

Not that casual nudity had bothered him before. He was accustomed to being naked around people. He undressed in a locker room with a bunch of other dudes all the time, which was a special kind of torture for a bisexual man surrounded by a dozen of his Type™. Blurr didn’t look, because he wasn’t that crass, but it was a torturous temptation. 

Blurr absently munched on the apple and explored Starscream’s nest for the first time, wearing nothing more than the necklace Starscream had given him last night. There were a lot of interesting things here, including the other half of the geode he’d gifted Starscream, resting on top of the glittery bag Blurr had presented it in. 

The shelves were packed with various items, and one of them held books -- Blurr recognized more than a few titles, and all of them had the sticker which identified their origin. They all belonged to the library. Well, except for one. 

Curious, Blurr pulled it down, flipping to the first page, the table of contents. Huh. It was hand-written, carefully inked by a somewhat-unsteady hand, and translated by… Perceptor? Wow. This was a book about harpies written by a harpy. 

What a treasure. 

Blurr grabbed another piece of fruit from the dish and took his prize back to the nest, cozying in among blankets and pillows. There was a lot he still didn’t understand. Sometimes, Starscream was coy in his explanations. If Starscream could go off on his own to learn about humans, the least Blurr could do was read up on harpies. 

It was only fair. 

He gobbled the fruit and got comfortable, piling up the pillows beneath his chest and resting the heavy book on another pillow. He stretched out on his belly and idly flipped the pages so he wouldn’t have to crane his neck to read it. Starscream would come back eventually, he was sure. 

Blurr read. 

Or well, he tried to. It was fully his intention to read. He was sure he’d gotten through at least the first chapter. Maybe the second one. 

But the bed was comfortable, reading was boring, and the hangover lurked at the back of his mind, reminding him of the very bad decision he’d made last night. 

He fell asleep. 

He woke to the soft brush of feathers against the back of his upper thighs, and the jostling of the nest around him. 

“I was reading!” Blurr blurted out as he snapped awake, one hand slapping absently at the page the book was open to. He’d been wrong. He’d only just made it into the second chapter. 

Starscream chuckled and the heat of him blanketed Blurr’s legs, feathers tickling his bare skin. “Were you now?” 

“I swear.” Blurr pushed himself to his elbows and peered over his shoulder, to see Starscream staring intently at his bare back. “Did Perceptor really write it?” 

“He oversaw the translation, but that’s as far as I know.” Starscream’s feathers tickled the back of his knee. He palmed Blurr’s ass. “You’d have to ask him if you want to know more.” 

Blurr groaned. “No, thanks. He’s nice enough to talk to, but getting him to explain anything is asking for a headache.” He wriggled a bit in the covers, trying to entice Starscream to do more than stare. “He doesn’t know the meaning of the word ‘enough’. And Drift doesn’t stop him either. Just moons at him as he drones on and on.”

“They are rather cute,” Starscream said.

Blurr squirmed. “Sickening, too,” he grumbled. “Are they always like that?”

“Unfortunately, yes.” Starscream sounded incredibly amused, and the pillows shifted again before Blurr felt a hot, wet exhale over his shoulderblade. His skin prickled. “Mmm. I missed you.”

Blurr swallowed thickly. “It was only a few hours.” His skin rose in goosebumps, however, anticipation drizzling like a small spark through his veins. 

“Seemed like longer.” Starscream’s lips traveled down his spine, achingly slow, feathers tickling and little kisses making Blurr squirm. “You smell good.”

“I smell like I’ve been marinating in my own drunken sweat all night.” Blurr clutched the pillows tighter as his pounding pulse started to centralize in his groin.

Starscream chuckled. “You’re so contrary.” He kissed the base of Blurr’s spine and nuzzled it with his lips. “Hungry?”

“For food?” Because he was kind of getting the feeling that Starscream came here with a different kind of hunger. Not that Blurr was complaining at all.

Lips dragged over the curve of his ass, and Blurr shivered. It was too heavy to be ticklish, but too soft to be anything less than a caress. Anticipation tightened inside of him, his thickening dick prodding into the pillow beneath his groin.

“Yes,” Starscream said, and the puff of his words made Blurr’s skin goosepimple.

He swallowed, mouth growing dry with want. “What, um, what did you have in mind?”

Feathers tickled the back of his upper thighs and the bare skin of his ass and lower back. Starscream licked the curve of one of his ass cheeks.

And then Starscream bit him.

Blurr yelped, startled, and would have whipped over on his back were it not for the harpy hands suddenly cradling his hips, and he’d learned to not be too quick around those.

“What was that for!?” he demanded, his ass stinging where the impression of teeth lingered, though it was even now being soothed away by the wet sweeps of a somewhat rough tongue.

“I enjoy your behind,” Starscream said, amused. “It’s so plump and soft. Like a very ripe peach.” His teeth grazed over the curve of the other cheek, the one not marked by his teeth.

Blurr shivered, and tried to hold on to his irritation. “That doesn’t mean you should bite it,” he gritted out.

Starscream chuckled, lips and teeth scraping over Blurr’s unmarked ass cheek, but luckily, he didn’t bite again. “Why not?”

“Because it hurts!”

Starscream tugged just a little, lifting Blurr’s hips away from the pillow nest by a few inches, even as his mouth continued the exploratory nipping. “Are you sure?” he purred before his hands slid down, curling ever so carefully around Blurr’s upper thighs. “Because from where I’m kneeling, you don’t look to be in much pain.”

Blurr groaned as his dick stood at attention, dripping head grinding against the pillows beneath him, and starting to throb. “That’s not the point.”

“You don’t mind when I bite you elsewhere.”

“Those don’t really count as bites. They’re more like nips.”

“Oh, I see.” Lips grazed over Blurr’s right ass cheek before he felt the gentle nip of sharp teeth, followed by the pressure of a bite, but not the sting. “Perhaps this then?”

Blurr resisted the urge to hump the pillow. “Sure,” he croaked. “That’s, um, that’s fine.”

“Good.” Starscream’s purr ghosted wet warmth over Blurr’s bare skin. His tongue swept a hot line up and up, back to the base of Blurr’s spine, before his mouth continued upward, tracking along his back. “Mmm. I want to mark you all over.”

Arousal flooded Blurr. “I can’t go back to class covered in bites.”

“You wear clothes. No one will notice.” Lips and teeth were back on his shoulders, ever moving, until Blurr felt the pressure of Starscream’s mouth on the back of his neck.

Blurr groaned, his forehead hitting the pillow, hips bucking back toward the feathery heat of Starscream’s body. “Primus, Starscream. Will you just fuck me already?”

Starscream chuckled, his tongue soothing the imprints of his teeth in the back of Blurr’s neck. His hands still cradled Blurr’s hips, but now he felt the hot press of Starscream’s length against his thighs, along with the wet smear of pre-come. Blurr’s insides clenched, remembering all too well the pleasure of Starscream inside him. 

“So impatient.” Starscream nuzzled into the hollow of his neck and shoulders, lips leaving a tickling path of heat. “Why can’t I simply enjoy you first?” His hips rolled, clava sliding between Blurr’s upper thighs and further upward, until the head of it brushed beneath his groin, into the hollow behind his balls. 

“You’re being a tease!”

“Never.” Starscream rocked his hips again, thrusting between Blurr’s thighs in a steady rhythm, his clava rubbing over Blurr’s balls and occasionally catching on his rim before sliding away again.

It was maddening.

Blurr clawed at the bedding with one hand and wriggled the other free, trying to get it between himself and the pillow. His dick demanded attention, and Primus, he loved Star, but harpy hands weren’t made for the good stroking.

“You’re so squirmy,” Starscream purred into his ear, teeth nipping the curve of it.

“Your fault,” Blurr gasped out and moaned as he finally managed to wrap his hand around himself, giving his dick a long pull.

It didn’t last long.

No sooner had he obtained the perfect grip, then did his world turn upside down. He had a moment to blink and wonder ‘what the fuck’ before his ass hit the pillows, and Starscream crawled over him, lips tracking a searing path up Blurr’s belly. His legs splayed wide over Starscream’s thighs, his arms a feathery cage around Blurr’s body, and there was something distinctly predatory in the way Starscream licked at him.

“What’s gotten into you?” Blurr demanded, even as he shivered, his thighs tightening around Starscream. 

“Missed you,” Starscream said, as though that was explanation enough, and his lips found Blurr’s right nipple, giving it a long lick followed by a suck.

Blurr moaned and grabbed at Starscream’s arms, his back arching. That explanation was not enough, but he’d let it go for now.

“So you drive me crazy?” Blurr asked, on the end of a gasp. He rolled up against Starscream, trying to be enticing. “Come on. Stop being a tease.”

Starscream suckled noisily on his nipple before letting it go with an audible sound. “Can’t help myself. I walked in here and you looked like something I needed to taste.” He shifted, rising a little higher, until his lips hovered over Blurr’s own. “So really, it’s your fault.”

Blurr’s retort was muffled by Starscream’s mouth, not that he minded, given the way Starscream’s tongue plunged into his mouth, and the hungry noises Starscream made. Feathers slid silkily over his bare skin as Starscream settled over him, the backs of his knuckles sliding down the outside of Blurr’s legs, his clava rolling against Blurr’s dick.

Mmm. This was nice, too.

Blurr carded his fingers through the feathers on Starscream’s belly and sides, deepening the kiss, giving as good as he got. It was still kind of weird, to feel feathers where there should be bare skin, but he stopped trying to think about it too much.

He liked Starscream. A lot. It didn’t matter that he was a harpy. He didn’t care if anyone judged him either. Frag, if he could help it, he’d stay here forever.

He hooked his ankles over Starscream’s thighs and slid his hands down, until he could wrap his fingers around both their lengths. He pressed his dick to Starscream’s clava and shivered in tune with the harpy. Heat throbbed in his grip, even more when he rolled his hips and Starscream met his thrust in kind.

Starscream’s mouth fell away, but only because he wanted to nose into Blurr’s throat, teeth and tongue making little nips. Now this biting Blurr liked. He tipped his head back, baring more of his throat to the harpy’s nibbling. He was going to be so marked up by the time he went back.

He didn’t care.

Starscream dropped his thighs and braced himself on the pillows to either side of Blurr, shifting the angle so that he could rock down, thrust his clava into Blurr’s grip. The rhythm was slow and steady, a bit awkward even, but damn did it feel good. Blurr swept his fingers over their dicks, gathering up precome, making it even slicker.

They were so different: Blurr pale and smooth, foreskin slipping and sliding, cock fat and angry red on the tip. While Starscream was long, firmer to the touch, little knobs and whorls allowing texture, bright red and blue a contrast to pale skin.

But the feeling was the same. Arousal pounded harder through Blurr, twisted and turned in his belly, with every nip of Starscream’s teeth and every thrust against him.

He wished, in that moment, that he was a harpy, if only so Starscream could slide into him with abandon, without having to be so careful and shallow. He wanted to see Starscream really let go, to be filled entirely.

Of course the longer life span and the knowledge that he wouldn’t have to leave Starscream behind would be fantastic, too.

“You’re thinking too much,” Starscream murmured against his throat before his lips dragged back up, brushing over Blurr’s.

Blurr chuckled and nuzzled his nose against Starscream’s firmer one. “Well, maybe that’s because you’re not being distracting enough.” He squeezed their lengths pointedly, making Starscream hiss and grind down against him. “Your fault for being such a tease.”

“I am not a tease,” Starscream said and nipped the end of his nose. “And I’ll prove it.”

Blurr blinked as Starscream abruptly rose up, shifting around again, as if he were internally restless. As he pulled back, Blurr lost his grip, but it seemed that was what Starscream wanted, because he dropped Blurr’s legs and moved to straddle him instead.

Arousal shot like fire straight into Blurr’s belly as Starscream tossed him a wicked grin and ground down, rubbing the damp of his antrum over the hard heat of Blurr’s dick. The sweetness of his slick filled the air, and Blurr’s mouth watered. His hands found Starscream’s hips, fingers carding through soft feathers, as Starscream sank down, swallowing Blurr’s dick with the squeezing slick of his antrum.

Blurr groaned, his grip tightening, as sparks of pleasure danced behind his eyes. There was nothing quite like the feel of Starscream around him. So hot and dripping, rippling in a pattern that was wholly unlike being with a human, male or female. It was like Starscream had all of these extra muscles within him, and absolute control over him, too.

Blurr could fill Starscream to the root and never bottom out. He could thrust hard and deep, and never once worry about hurting the harpy. More than that, was the bliss that streaked across Starscream’s face, the way he licked his lips, nibbled on them. The little cries and warbles he made in his throat, the way he rocked his hips and ground down on Blurr.

He tipped forward, rocking his hips, arms caging around Blurr again, pressing his forehead to Blurr’s. “See?” he panted, exhalations sweet where they puffed over Blurr’s face. “Not a tease.”

A rumble vibrated in Blurr’s chest. “Kiss me,” he demanded, and Starscream obliged, his mouth falling over Blurr’s, long, long tongue sliding in to sweep and lay claim, even as he rolled his hips. The tip of his clava caught against Blurr’s abdomen, a firm, damp push and prod that left streaks of precome.

Blurr moaned into the kiss, Starscream’s antrum rippling around him, every squeeze tightening the coil of pleasure inside of him. Another warble rose in Starscream’s throat as he ground down harder and harder, his rhythm stuttered and desperate, his claws rending tiny tears in the pillows.

Primus, he was gorgeous. Blurr wanted to keep him forever.

If only. If only.

He didn’t know which of them came first. He didn’t know if it was the rapid fluttering grip of Starscream’s antrum that pulled him over, or if it was the splatter of his own come that triggered Starscream’s release. He only knew the starbursts behind his eyelids, the nip of Starscream’s teeth on his lips, the whimper of pleasure that rose up out of Starscream’s throat, and the hot splatter of release on Blurr’s abdomen.

He hummed in his throat, hands sliding from Starscream’s hip to the harpy’s body, tugging Starscream close, deepening the kiss. Feathers tickled at his bare skin, even as Starscream’s weight rested on him, his softening dick still buried deep, Starscream’s antrum fluttering warmly around it.

Starscream, he belatedly noticed, was still hard, and the rocking of his hips had not stopped. The kiss remained urgent, as did the noises in his throat.

Blurr’s dick twitched. But it was going to take him a bit longer to be of any use to Starscream. He slid his hands back to the harpy’s hips and gave them a squeeze, even as Starscream broke away from the kiss to nibble his way back to Blurr’s throat. He panted audibly, knees squeezing in on Blurr’s hips, as though he could make Blurr hard by willpower alone.

Something was definitely up. Starscream wasn’t usually this quick on the rebound. It was like he hadn’t come at all.

“Star.” Blurr squeezed his hips again, bucking upward, pulling a moan from his lover’s lips. “Star, let me up.”

“Not done with you yet,” Starscream said against his throat, teeth leaving little nips that no amount of clothing could hide. Blurr was not going to wear a turtleneck in early summer.

“I noticed.” Blurr tried for a wry grin, but it devolved into a shiver as Starscream exhaled into the hollow of his throat, and licked over a pulsepoint. “Let me up anyway. I think the pillows are trying to swallow me.”

Starscream chuckled and nipped at the hollow of his throat one last time before he pulled back, his face flush and his eyes bright. “Am I smothering you?”

“That and I really, really want to put my mouth on you right now,” Blurr said, letting his fingers enunciate his point as he slid one hand over Starscream’s groin and curled his fingers around his very rigid clava.

Starscream’s eyelids fluttered, his hips pushing into the tunnel of Blurr’s fist. “I’m inclined to let you.”

He leaned down, kissed Blurr again, soft and savoring, before he clung to Blurr and rolled them, feathers and pillows flying everywhere as the world spun around Blurr. He yelped and clutched Starscream, who really had to break this habit of tossing Blurr around like he weighed nothing. So what if Starscream was bigger and stronger? So what?

He ended up where he wanted to be, on top of Starscream, his pretty harpy splayed in the pillows beneath him, feathers all fluffed and shiny. Starscream’s tongue swept over his lips, the back of his knuckles sliding down Blurr’s bare back.

“Better?” he asked with a purr.

Blurr grinned and shimmied down Starscream’s body, until he knelt between the harpy’s legs and curled his arms under Starscream’s thighs. “You tell me,” he said before he leaned forward, exhaling over the tip of Starscream’s clava, where a bead of pre-fluid glistened invitingly.

A hand gently curved around his head, feathers tickling his back. “Please,” Starscream said, his voice urgent, desperate even. 

How could he resist such a plea?

Blurr licked Starscream, first at the root then up to the tip, his tongue slurping the dribbles of pre-come from Starscream’s clava. Starscream’s feathers rustled in a shiver, his eyes going dark and liquid with want. 

“More,” Starscream moaned, and Blurr closed his mouth around the head of Starscream’s clava, the sweet taste of his pre-come clinging stickily to Blurr’s tongue. 

Starscream was already rigid, his clava throbbing desperately, as if he’d been clinging to the edge of orgasm with tenacious talons. It wasn’t going to take much. The pressure on the back of Blurr’s head never changed, but he swallowed more of Starscream down anyway, lips and tongue working his harpy as best he could. 

He swallowed and swallowed, throat working, tongue stroking, and Blurr shifted enough, sliding two fingers into Starscream’s antrum, curving them to stroke the hot pleats of it. Starscream made a delicious strangled sound, his body rising in a wave beneath Blurr, a warble spilling from his throat. 

“Blurr,” he moaned, and said something else, something in that musical language of the harpies, his hips jerking up into a stuttered thrust. It was, perhaps, a warning. 

Well, let it not be said Blurr was one to waste a meal. 

He swallowed Starscream as deep as he could, then dragged his mouth up in a pull of tight, wet suction, and was rewarded with several splashes of sweet, sticky spill. Starscream shattered beneath him, squirming and thrusting in little jerks, his clava pulsing over and over, each spurt lighter than the last, until Blurr had a large mouthful. 

He swallowed and climbed up Starscream, the harpy absently pawing at him, their mouths falling together in a sloppy wet kiss. Starscream hummed and the palms of his hands were everywhere, sliding over Blurr’s skin like he couldn’t get enough. Which, you know, wasn’t a bad thing, but it was pretty weird. 

It made Blurr remember the celebration last night, the weird sense of hunger in the air, the way the harpies had been rather overt in their PDA. 

Something was Up. 

The kiss eased off and settled into a snuggle, though Blurr’s stomach chose that moment to growl at the fact he’d only had a handful of apples for a meal and not eaten since the night before. Starscream laughed and kissed the tip of his nose. 

“I actually did bring you some real food,” he said as he crawled out of the nest but only long enough to grab something and return. 

Delicious smells floated from a basket, and when Blurr tried to peer into it, Starscream shielded it from view. 

“Nope. It’s a surprise.” 

Blurr rolled his eyes but let Starscream have his fun, pulling Blurr into his lap, sitting his back against Starscream’s chest, Starscream’s forming a comfy, feathery blanket around him. He seemed to want that bare skin contact. 

“So,” Blurr said. “Does that mean you’re gonna tell me what’s up now? Or am I going to have to torture it out of you?”

Starscream pulled something out of the basket and pressed it to Blurr’s lips -- a berry of some kind. “I’m impressed you noticed.” He stroked the back of his knuckles over Blurr’s cheek. “The Festival of Adaptus precedes mating season for us. I’m not in heat yet, but I will be. Soon.”

“Heat?” Blurr’s brow furrowed as the pieces fell into place. Well, at least the sexual aggression made sense. Starscream was horny on a biological level. “You mean, you could get pregnant now?”

“Not now, but in the next couple of days, yes. Provided I mated with another harpy, and I was the recipient.” Starscream’s hand withdrew, only to return with a sliver of some kind of melon. “I will be in heat for around two weeks.”

Blurr nibbled the melon thoughtfully. “Oh.”

“Which is why you’re going back tomorrow,” Starscream continued, his tone light, but something guarded in it. “The entire flock will go into heat at once, though some before others, and I don’t know that you’ll be safe. You are not built to withstand a heat-rut.”

“What?” Blurr twisted himself around so he could see Starscream’s face. “I have to leave?”

Starscream nodded and stroked his cheek again. “For your own safety, yes. Instinct can be a powerful thing. Besides, you have to return eventually. Don’t you have classes?”

“Yeah, but...” None he really cared about. He’d already missed several days plus a couple practices for track. It wasn’t like he could get into any more trouble.

Blurr sighed and sank back into Starscream’s embrace. “If I go, and you stay here, does that mean you’re going to, you know, with someone else?” Did he even that right to be jealous? Did he have a right to demand exclusivity?

Starscream chuckled. “No. Having a partner isn’t required for a heat. If anything, my heat will end sooner without a partner. It will be uncomfortable, but I’ll survive.”

He pillowed his head on Starscream’s shoulder and accepted the next sliver of melon. He had to be the better person here, he knew it.

He was glad he couldn’t see Starscream’s face, and vice versa, in their current positioning.

“You don’t have to hold back for my sake,” he said, though Primus, it killed him. He wanted Starscream to be his and only his. “If there’s someone you want to… you know, do that with, you should.”

Starscream purred and nuzzled Blurr from behind, the pads of his fingers stroking over Blurr’s throat. “Don’t worry. I don’t want anyone else.”

“That’s not the point! I don’t want you to be uncomfortable.”

“And I appreciate that, but I’ll be fine.” A rumble echoed in Starscream’s chest, as the fingers of his free hand delicately carded through Blurr’s hair, the tips of his talons gently scratching his scalp in a way that often made Blurr purr.

Blurr bit back a sigh. “And you’re sure I can’t stay?”

“I would never forgive myself if something happened to you. Trust me. This is for the best,” Starscream said and gently scratched his scalp some more, talons exceptionally careful as he combed through Blurr’s hair.

“If you insist,” Blurr murmured, unable to shake the feeling he was a child being sent to his room while the adults dealt with adult issues.

He nibbled on his bottom lip and focused on the sensation of Starscream stroking his head instead, while the taste of sweet berries lingered on his tongue. Come to think of it, Starscream was unusually warm behind him, and as he wiggled his ass, he found Starscream aroused once again, though his clava wasn’t quite at full staff.

“Insatiable, huh?” he asked, a little grin curving his lips.

“And just think, it’ll be much worse in a few days.” Humor was ripe in Starscream’s tone. “Ignore it. It’ll pass.”

Blurr licked his lips and dragged his fingertips up the length of Starscream’s clava. “What if I don’t want to ignore it?” he asked as he reached the tip and gave it a light pinch. “What if I want to enjoy it for as long as I can?”

Starscream warbled in his throat. “Well, then, don’t let me stop you,” he purred, and nuzzled the top of Blurr’s head, his talons carefully dragging down to Blurr’s neck, tickling his bare skin.

Blurr shivered. The care Starscream exerted with him was intoxicating. He stroked Starscream lightly, and licked his lips.

He intended to make as much of tonight as he could.

Luckily, Starscream didn’t seem to mind.

***


	26. Chapter 26

Morning came.  
  
Starscream hustled Blurr down to the hot springs with little fanfare, as the sun barely crested the horizon, and the ground and foliage were still damp with dew. They scrubbed quickly and alone, the rest of the aerie having yet to stir.  
  
“Mating season,” Starscream reminded him and tried to urge Blurr to clean faster. “Save for a few, most will sleep in and overeat, their bodies preparing for rut.”  
  
“Is that why you’re trying to rush me out the door?” Blurr demanded as Starscream dumped a pailful of water over his head, slicking his hair down against his scalp.  
  
He looked like a fragging melted snow cone, he thought, as he spat minerally water out of his mouth.  
  
“I just want you to be safe,” Starscream said, before urging him out of the hot springs, snagging a towel as he made to follow.  
  
Blurr bit his tongue on a request to stay. Starscream obviously felt very strongly about this. So all he could do was towel himself off, put on clothes that smelled as fresh as spring rain, despite having been handwashed and hung out to dry.  
  
Breakfast was more fruit and handfuls of nuts and some kind of seeded bun that had been baked over an open flame. Blurr had no idea how that worked, but it was utterly soft and delicious and it almost made him forget how much he’d spent the last few days craving meat. His mouth, however, watered at the thought of a medium rare steak, grilled and seasoned, with blue cheese to accent.  
  
His stomach grumbled.  
  
Starscream teased him about being a bottomless pit to feed.  
  
Blurr retorted that it wasn’t his fault Starscream kept feeding him bird seed.  
  
Starscream hurried him out of the aerie, past the guards watching warily from their posts, and through the woods to where Blurr had left his rented bike, now liberally sprinkled with spider webs. Blurr wasn’t looking forward to the long ride back. He envied Starscream his ability to fly.  
  
“You’re sure I can’t stay and help you?” Blurr asked as he untied the bike and held the bars to keep it upright.  
  
Starcream gently cupped his face and pulled him in for a slow, savoring kiss. A thrum of want rippled through Blurr’s body, the taste of Starscream sweet on his tongue.  
  
“I’m sure,” he said, pulling their foreheads together. “I don’t trust my restraint, and I’d never forgive myself if I hurt you.”  
  
It was fair, but it still left something cold and aching inside of Blurr.  
  
“How soon should I expect you?”  
  
Starcream nuzzled him. “The heats are a maximum of two weeks. I don’t think mine will last that long, but just in case, two weeks at most. I will come to you as soon as I can.” His thumb swept Blurr’s cheek. “I mean it this time.”  
  
“I believe you.”  
  
Because he did.  
  
Several lingering kisses later, they parted, with Blurr walking the bike along the trail back to open fields, the weight of Starscream watching him on his shoulders until he vanished into the trees. He felt heavy, like he’d left something important behind, and only Starscream’s fear for him kept Blurr moving forward, away from his harpy.  
  
Going back would only be selfish on his part.  
  
It was a breezy, sunny warm spring day. At any other time, Blurr would have enjoyed the two hour bike ride back to his dorm. But his thoughts scattered in a thousand directions, and he knew the moment he got in range, because his phone started to violently vibrate in his pocket.  
  
He’d left it turned off, for the most part, to conserve his battery. It hadn’t been able to find a signal for most of the time anyway.  
  
Well, here the signal was, and his phone pinged him a scary amount of new e-mails, missed text messages, and voicemails. He dreaded reviewing them.  
  
Blurr returned the bicycle to the rental shop, and paid the ridiculous surcharge for necessary cleaning since there was mud caked in the tires and splattered over the metal bars. As he started back toward his dorm -- was it really a Thursday? -- he pulled out his cell phone and paled at the notifications filling his screen.  
  
Coach Sylvester. Rathi. TJ. Miko and Sari. Dr. Morgan. Even Richard had sent him an e-mail inquiring if he needed any further help.  
  
He responded to Richard first, replying in an e-mail through his phone that everything was fine, thanking him for the help in solving that little communication error.  
  
Dr. Morgan was next, and all she wanted was some reassurance and a promise to talk about the festival, once Blurr was feeling up to it. Her excitement had been palpable, even through the phone line, and Blurr had to fight down his own grin, which was doing a mighty battle against the longing in his heart.  
  
Was it possible to miss someone this much after such a short amount of time?  
  
Blurr called Miko and Sari next, even though his dorm was in sight, because that was all part of the plan. That way when they started in on question upon question, especially about Starscream and hinting about his relationship with Starscream, Blurr could blame the elevator for his loss of signal, and not that his finger accidentally slipped on the disconnect call button. There was only so much energy a guy could take.  
  
He unlocked the door to his dorm, and was surprised at how stale and unlived in it felt. It was hot and stuffy as well. Blurr cranked up the air conditioning, wishing he could open the window. He already missed the fresh air of the aerie. He missed how open and alive the whole aerie felt.  
  
He tossed his bag onto his desk chair, stripped to a pair of sweatpants, and pulled out his cell. Three more calls to make. None of them easy.  
  
He started with Rathi. He expected her to be in class, and he could leave a voicemail, and she could call him back later to bless him out in person.  
  
He did not expect her to pick up.  
  
“Where the hell have you been?” she hissed into the receiver, and in the background, Blurr heard someone chastising her, seconds before a door thudded shut. She must have stepped out of her class.  
  
“At the aerie. Looking for Starscream,” Blurr started, but she cut in before he could continue.  
  
“And you didn’t think to call and let someone know? TJ and I have been worried sick! We thought maybe that’s where you’d gone, but we couldn’t be sure, and everyone knows Josiah has been lurking around. We were starting to think the worst.”  
  
Guilt flooded in. “Oh.” Blurr sucked on his bottom lip and flopped onto his bed, rolling over to pull the cord for the blinds, flooding his room with early morning light. “Sorry. I didn’t even think about that.”  
  
“No. You didn’t. You just hared off into the woods without so much as a real plan, because you’re that kind of idiot.” Rathi sighed, and he imagined she was rubbing her forehead and shaking her head at him. “Well, did you find him at least?”  
  
Blurr slung an arm over his head. “Yeah. It’s a long story that has to do with some harpy slavers that, let me tell you, better hope I don’t get my hands on them. Star’s safe, but one of his flock was taken, and there was a panic.”  
  
Rathi cursed, and for a moment, Blurr grinned because Rathi cursing was one of the most interesting things on the planet, especially with her accent.  
  
“That sounds like a story I need to hear,” Rathi said. “But I have to get back into class before Professor Jennings decides my needing to take an emergency call counts as an absence. Dinner later?”  
  
Blurr chewed on the inside of his cheek. “Tomorrow? I have a feeling Coach is going to want to tear me a new one and make up a practice tonight.”  
  
“Yeah. She is. She’s been on a warpath.”  
  
Which Blurr was sure TJ had told her. Strange how suddenly they were the best of friends when their paths would have never crossed if not for Blurr.  
  
“I thought so.” Blurr scrubbed his forehead and closed his eyes. He could smell himself, the sweat-stink of him. He needed a shower.  
  
But he also could smell Starscream underneath it, the feather-musk, the tree-sap sweetness. He didn’t want to lose that scent so soon.  
  
“We can have dinner tomorrow then. Make TJ join us. You better call him, too,” Rathi said, and the warning in her tone warmed Blurr to his insides. People cared about him. Strange how he’d forgotten that, until Starscream swept into his life.  
  
“I will. Thanks, Rathi. Talk to you later.”  
  
“You’d better. Glad you’re not dead, idiot.”  
  
The call ended, and Blurr tucked the phone against his chest, breathing in and out. Before that dinner, a shopping trip was in order. Bringing Rathi an apology box of chocolates was never out of order. She was particularly fond of the truffles from that little shop on the corner -- owned and operated by Kaon University underclassmen, no less.  
  
Blurr surely had room in his budget for that.  
  
He gave himself a few minutes of steeling himself before he dialed TJ, preparing to have his ass chewed, and his ears ring. As he waited for TJ to pick up, a familiar song floated to his ears. Blurr blinked and turned his head toward the door.  
  
Someone immediately banged on it.  
  
“I know you’re in there, ass,” TJ declared, though it was muffled by the door. “My buddy down at the rental shop told me you checked in the bike, and if you think you’re getting away with a phone call, you got another thing coming.”  
  
Wow.  
  
Blurr ended the call and dropped the phone. He rolled out of the bed just as the pounding on his door started again, and TJ’s voice came through, even louder if that was possible.  
  
“I know you’re not in the shower, dude. Rathi just texted me.”  
  
Blurr threw the lock and opened the door. “Seriously? Last time I checked, I’m an adult,” he said as TJ glared at him from the other side, his hair pulled up into a loose tail of tiny braids, and sweat dotting his brow.  
  
He must have jogged the whole way here.  
  
“Really? Because last time I checked, adults don’t fuck off without telling people where they’re going, and then ignore their cell phones for a few days,” TJ huffed. He looked Blurr up and down as if looking for bruises or marks or whatnot. “What the hell, man?”  
  
Shame colored Blurr’s cheeks. “It’s complicated.”  
  
“Complicated, my ass.” TJ strode past him, shoulder-checking Blurr as he did so, and Blurr sighed, closing the door in his wake.  
  
“Come on in,” he said as TJ threw himself into Blurr’s desk chair and swiveled it around to face Blurr, his eyes dark with anger and worry, and that well of shame grew even heavier.  
  
“You know that prick Josiah was around, asking about you,” TJ said, his voice low and tight, like a leashed storm desperate to be free. “He wanted to know if you’d reconsidered his offer. It took everything I had not to deck him.”  
  
Blurr scrubbed his forehead. “Rathi mentioned something about it. I got a letter from him last week. I threw it away.”  
  
“You think maybe it’s time to start thinking about some legal action, Blurr? Seriously. He’s a stalker at the least. Dudes like that are crazy. You never know what they’re gonna do.”  
  
“And what’s a piece of paper going to do?” Blurr rolled his eyes and dropped down onto his bed, folding one ankle over the other as TJ swiveled around to keep facing him. “Imagine me walking into a police station and telling them a man is stalking me, oh and by the way, his dad owns half the town. Do I look like an idiot?”  
  
TJ arched an eyebrow at him. “Do you want me to answer that? Because right now, I’m looking at someone who vanished and scared the crap out of me.”  
  
Blurr hung his head. “Sorry about that.” He rubbed the back of his neck, feeling the heat creep up around his ears and into his face. “I couldn’t find Starscream, and was upset about something, so I took off to the aerie to find him and ended up staying a couple of days.”  
  
“Everything okay?”  
  
“More than.” Blurr’s lips quivered, so he didn’t bother to hide the smile on his lips, even as his fingers played with the leather thong around his neck. “We figured out some things.”  
  
“Good things?”  
  
“Yeah.”  
  
The chair creaked as TJ rocked back in it. “Well, that’s good. At least I worried for nothing.” He huffed out a breath. “Still, you couldn’t call?”  
  
“No service.” Blurr lifted his shoulders in an exaggerated shrug, though the guilt clogged up his throat. “Sorry, I know I should’ve tried to get in contact. I wasn’t thinking straight.”  
  
TJ shoved to his feet and plopped down on the bed next to Blurr, bumping shoulders with him. “Straight, definitely not. You know you got a massive hickey on your neck, right?”  
  
Blurr did not, in fact, know that. Because the aerie didn’t have mirrors, and Blurr hadn’t looked in one since he got back.  
  
Blurr groaned and hung his head. “I’m going to kill him.”  
  
TJ laughed. “No, you’re not. You love him.”  
  
“That obvious, huh?”  
  
“Painfully.” TJ bumped him again, and if he’d had any anger, it must have fled out of him, because his voice was warm again. “Seriously, though. Think about reporting Josiah. Dude’s crazy. And also, brace yourself, because Coach is furious.”  
  
Primus, he didn’t even want to think about Coach Sylvester right now. That was a confrontation Blurr wasn’t ready for at all.  
  
“What if I wrote a letter?” Blurr asked as he flopped back onto the bed, perpendicular to proper placement and nearly banging his head on the windowsill. “Do you think I could convince you to deliver it for me?”  
  
TJ patted him on the thigh. “You’re on your own there, buddy. I love you, but not that much.”  
  
Blurr sighed. He had no choice but to face the consequences, he supposed. At least it would be a distraction from missing Starscream.  
  
Small favor.  
  


~

  
  
He didn’t call. That would be cheating.  
  
So after TJ left, Blurr dragged himself into the shower, changed into workout clothes, and braced himself to face the music. He skipped the rest of his classes for the day, at this point missing one more wouldn’t make a difference, and headed straight for the track and field compound. It was the only place he was sure he could find Coach Sylvester.  
  
It was early yet for practice, and the sight of the empty field -- being treated and trimmed by the groundskeepers -- set off a pang of nostalgia in Blurr. He truly did love running. He loved competing, too. He just didn’t think he wanted to do it for the rest of his life.  
  
It had sounded exciting in theory. When all he wanted to do was escape and live his life, the idea of endlessly traveling, going to new places, competing for a cheering crowd, it sounded thrilling. He hadn’t thought about sustainability. He’d only thought about distance and freedom.  
  
In five, ten years if he was lucky, all of that would vanish. He’d have to hope to score a sponsorship, or that his winnings would be enough to support him. He’d end up working a nine-to-five by the time he was forty, and his days of being in the limelight would be gone. He’d have some trophies to show for it, maybe.  
  
And that was thinking optimistically.  
  
Traveling to exotic places was exciting in theory. In practice? Not so much. Small hotel rooms and eating on the go, never really forming relationships with people because he’d be gone all the time, never putting down roots because he never stayed.  
  
He didn’t want that anymore.  
  
He’d found a place he could belong and suddenly, Blurr wanted that more desperately than anything in his entire life. He could always run. So long as he had a pair of shoes and a flat plane, he could run whenever he wanted.  
  
Finding a place to call home? That was far more rare.  
  
Coach was in her office, and the door was open, which meant she was up for receiving visitors. Blurr’s palms were sweaty, but he scrubbed them down the front of his shirt, and rapped his knuckles on the door as he stuck his head inside.  
  
“Hey, Coach. You busy?”  
  
Her head snapped up, her eyes narrowed, and a flush of anger spread across the bridge of her nose. “Dae-Hyeun Song,” she said, her voice low and dangerous as she pushed to her feet. “You disappear for the better part of the week, only to come strolling back into my office, casual as you please?” She leaned forward, hands braced on her desk.  
  
Blurr resisted the urge to flee.  
  
He held up his hands in surrender. “Before you start yelling, I can explain.”  
  
“Oh, really.” Her head tilted fractionally, and he swore she snorted steam from her nostrils, like a bull preparing to charge. “Well come in. Sit down. I want to hear this wild and crazy story.”  
  
Blurr eyed the open chair across from her desk. It would put him within grabbing range. He inched into the room, sat on the edge of the chair, and tried not to feel like a child caught scribbling on the walls with a permanent marker.  
  
“I was at the aerie,” Blurr started to explain, as her eyes narrowed, and her glare stared right through him. “I was worried about Starscream and couldn’t get a hold of anyone, so I went to check for myself. I ended up staying a few days.”  
  
Coach drew in a heavy breath, and it was like she physically rolled off a layer of anger, though it still simmered beneath the surface. “Phones don’t work out there?”  
  
“No.”  
  
Her lips pressed together. She rapped blunt fingernails on the desk. “Is Starscream all right?”  
  
Blurr nodded. “And I know I missed several practices, but I’ll make them up. It’s also what I really wanted to talk to you about, other than apologizing.”  
  
Slowly, Coach lowered herself back into her chair. She rested her elbows on the desktop, lacing her fingers together. “I’m listening.”  
  
Unease coiled in Blurr’s belly like a nest of bees, buzzing and stinging and flitting around. He swallowed over a lump in his throat.  
  
“I love to run,” he said, and dropped his gaze as he started to spill a part of himself he hadn’t shared with anyone yet. “It’s what I’m best at. But I don’t think it’s my endgame. It’s not what I want to do when I leave here.” He worked his jaw, fiddling his fingers together. “Don’t get me wrong, I’m grateful for the scholarship, for everything the university has done to support my education, but--”  
  
“I’m going to stop you right there,” Coach Sylvester said, raising a hand. “Blurr, you are the fastest kid I’ve ever coached. If you wanted it, you could go all the way to the top. I fully believe that. But there’s a key phrase in there. If you wanted it. Know why I included it?”  
  
Blurr opened his mouth. Closed it. Certain he might offend if he guessed wrong. “Maybe you should just tell me,” he said.  
  
Coach sat back, and for the first time, amusement replaced her irritation. Her lips curved into a small smile. “You honestly think I’m in the business of forcing kids to make choices for their future they don’t really want? Hell, no. You don’t wanna spend the next ten years working your ass off for a few trophies, then don’t. My job is to support you, Blurr, not turn you into something you don’t want to be.”  
  
Blurr squinted with one eye. Then the other. “So you’re not mad I’m not trying to woo a sponsor anymore?”  
  
Coach sighed and rubbed her forehead. “You don’t have to woo a sponsor, but would it really kill you to run your best and win me one more trophy?”  
  
“What happened at the semi-finals won’t happen again, I promise,” Blurr said with a little laugh. “I still want to win. I just won’t be accepting any offers if I get any.”  
  
“That’s entirely fair.” Coach grinned and checked her watch. “But it’s also Thursday. You missed two practices, and finals are the week after next. If you think you’re even close to ready for them, you’re dead wrong, mister.”  
  
Yeah. He was expecting that.  
  
Blurr spread his hands. “I didn’t come dressed in my Sunday best for nothing. Consider me at your disposal.”  
  
Coach’s smile turned very shark-like. “I already do.”  
  


~

  
  
The rest of the week passed achingly slow.  
  
Blurr went to class. He did his schoolwork. He met Rathi and TJ for dinner, both separately and together. He went to practice every day, because that was what he’d promised Coach Sylvester, and he got back into the groove of things.  
  
He missed Starscream every day. He tried not to worry. He tried not to think about what discomfort Starscream might be in, or whether he’d accepted Blurr’s permission to take a partner for the heat. Or that, as a human, he couldn’t help Starscream with this yearly, necessary thing.  
  
He focused on his responsibilities instead. The things he could control, rather than the things he couldn’t.  
  
It was a week later, exactly a week later, that Blurr came trudging home from a late practice, so tired he waited to shower until he got to the dorm, rather than stripping out at the track. He fought off yawns, his calves ached, and he thought longingly of ordering a pizza and vegging out on his bed for the rest of the night.  
  
He fumbled his keys, dropping them and having to crouch to pick them up, with a noisy rattle of metal. Before he managed to get the key in the lock, however, his door swung open, and Blurr blinked dumbly at the harpy standing on the other side of it.  
  
Oh. Right. He’d given Starscream a key.  
  
And Starscream looked…  
  
Well, he looked rough. His usually perky feathers drooped, and his eyes were wide and bright and hungry. There was a tension to the way he held himself, and he smelled damn good. That sweet scent Blurr associated with Starscream floated from him in waves, which probably had something to do with the visible sheen of slick at his groin.  
  
“There you are,” Starscream said, and he hooked talons around the straps of Blurr’s backpack and yanked him inside.  
  
"Here I am," Blurr said, dumbly, as Starscream plucked the backpack from his shoulders and set it on his desk chair before reeling him in for a tight squeeze, immediately nuzzling into his hair.  
  
Starscream hummed. "Mmm. You smell good."  
  
"I smell like sweat," Blurr said.  
  
"I missed you." Starscream nuzzled him again and pressed close enough for Blurr to feel the rigid line of a clava poke into his belly.  
  
Realization trickled in. "You're still in heat," Blurr said as he carded his fingers through the feathers at Starscream's sides.  
  
"Yes, but I'm over the worst of it. I'm in control," Starscream assured him as his palms slid down Blurr's back to cup his ass, pulling him close to grind against his belly, leaving a smear of slick on Blurr's shirt.  
  
Control. Right.  
  
"Can I shower first?" Blurr asked, though his own dick had started to thicken and heat gathered in his belly, reminding him that he hadn't tasted his harpy in a week, and he'd missed Starscream dearly.  
  
Talons pricked through the loose fabric of his shorts, teasing the bare skin beneath. "You don't need to." Starscream nuzzled to his ear, lips and teeth gently nomming on the curve of it. "I want you."  
  
Blurr shivered as the rough, hungry purr echoed in his ear. He might have squeaked and turned liquid in Starscream's arms. "Sure," he said, and a small oomph of escaped air left him as Starscream swept him up and strode toward the bed.  
  
Blurr landed with a bounce, head spinning, before Starscream was on him, a feathery mass of warmth and sweetness, his mouth falling over Blurr's, tongue plunging inside. Blurr moaned, closing his legs around Starscream's waist, grinding up against the rigid clava poking at the inside of his thighs.  
  
"Shorts," Starscream said against his mouth, and it took a moment for Blurr to realize what Starscream wanted.  
  
He wriggled beneath Starscream, struggling to strip out of his shorts, out of his shirt, tangled up in fabric as Starscream's hands and mouth kept getting in the way. He had his shirt rucked up around his armpits, Starscream's mouth on one of his nipples, and his shorts dangling from an ankle, and it was as absurd as it was erotic. Lightning licking up his spine, and bolts of desire streaking out from the hot lips wrapped around his nipple.  
  
Starscream whisked off the rest of his pants and grabbed his ass again, cradling him, pulling him in for a grind, his clava leaking slick all over Blurr's cock, and making a mess.  
  
"You sure your heat is almost over?" Blurr gasped as Starscream rutted against him, hot and fast, his clava throbbing against Blurr's dick.  
  
Starscream's eyes darkened with hunger, and he curled over Blurr, breathing hot and wet over the curve of Blurr's jaw. "Tell me to stop, and I will."  
  
"I didn't say that." Blurr grabbed Starscream's shoulders, head tossed back, as arousal surged to his dick faster than seemed natural. "Don't you dare stop."  
  
Starscream huffed a laugh, and kissed him like he was claiming Blurr, like he'd been waiting all week for a taste. Blurr moaned into the kiss, his fingers curling like claws into Starscream's arms, pre-come beading up at the tip as he ground against feathers and Starscream's clava.  
  
Primus, he'd missed Starscream so much. It almost felt like a dream, brought on by fatigue and wanting. Blurr gripped onto feathers and kissed Starscream like he was trying to pour all of his loneliness into it, while the sweet scent of Starscream's arousal flooded his nose.  
  
Starscream kept grinding against him, shoving him into the bed, clava rutting on Blurr's groin, his dick, his belly, his hips. He remembered all too well how it felt to have Starscream fill him, and Blurr wanted that again. Just like this, Starscream hungry and desperate for him, easing into his body, taking him and claiming him.  
  
Blurr came, just like that, the thought of Starscream inside him with the reality of Starscream above him, sending him into ecstasy. He shuddered as he spilled, making a slick mess between them. He grabbed Starscream's lips for a kiss, and Starscream rutted down against him, gasping as he came in a hot splatter.  
  
It was not at all what Blurr had expected from his afternoon, but he wasn't opposed either. He'd missed Starscream too much.  
  
"Feel better?" Blurr asked as Starscream fluttered kisses over his face. He still radiated heat like a furnace.  
  
"Now that I'm with you? Much." Starscream grinned as Blurr flushed. "Sorry for jumping you like that."  
  
Blurr chuckled. "Not something to apologize for." He squirmed beneath Starscream, fully aware he was half-dressed and covered in slick. "Though if I don't get my shower soon, I might start to itch."  
  
"I could take care of that mess for you," Starscream said with a run of his tongue around the curve of Blurr's ear.  
  
"It's not just the come, Star. I skipped my post-practice shower, and I'm covered in sweat, pollen, and dirt." Blurr cupped Starscream's face, scrubbing his thumb over Starscream's cheek. "Not that I didn't miss you, because I did."  
  
Starscream turned into his palm, pressing a kiss to it. "I know how picky you are about your cleanliness." He slid off the bed and tugged Blurr with him. "Go shower. I'll still be here when you get out."  
  
"You'd better be." Blurr rose up and tugged Starscream down for a kiss. "Order some pizza, too, will you? I'm starving?"  
  
"Ham and pineapple on one half and all veggie on the other?"  
  
"You bet." Blurr grinned and rubbed his cheek over Starscream’s. “You know me so well.”  
  
Starscream patted him on the ass. “Get going or you’re not going to make it into the shower.” His voice was thick and heavy again, laced with desire, and it sent a shiver down Blurr’s spine.  
  
He tore himself away from Starscream and made for the shower, refusing to look back because he knew he would have never made it into the shower otherwise.  
  
Blurr showered as quickly as possible, and didn’t bother to do anything more than wrap a towel around his waist as he stumbled out of the bathroom. Exhaustion tugged on every limb, but Starscream was here, and he didn’t know for how long. He didn’t want to waste it.  
  
The scent of pizza floated to his nose as he exited in a billow of steam. He thought he’d been quick, but apparently not. Either that, or Pizza Palace was on point tonight.  
  
“My turn,” Starscream sang as he sashayed past Blurr, fingers dancing over his shoulder and a pizza crust dangling from his mouth.  
  
Blurr rolled his eyes, and whisked off the towel, replacing it with a pair of boxers because it felt weird to sit naked in his dorm, though he couldn’t put a reason on why. He munched on his pizza as he waited, fighting off more than a few yawns that had no business invading when it was barely eight at night.  
  
He made it through two slices before Starscream came out of the bathroom, absently patting at his feathers with a towel. Like a recently bathed cat, he'd leave damp spots all over the room for the next hour. It was kind of cute.  
  
"Feel better?" Blurr asked.  
  
"For a definition of the word," Starscream hummed. He dropped the towel on the floor and embraced Blurr from behind, rubbing his cheek against Blurr's. "Mmm. Missed you."  
  
Blurr chuckled. "I figured." He leaned into Starscream's warmth. "How long are you staying?"  
  
"For the rest of my heat at least." Starscream's palms slid around, across Blurr's belly, one drifting up to lazily rub a nipple. "Longer if you'll let me."  
  
Blurr licked a stray bit of sauce from the corner of his mouth. "I, uh, still have to go to class and stuff. Will you be okay without me?"  
  
"I'll manage." Starscream's teeth skimmed the curve of Blurr's neck, down to where it sloped into his shoulders, and the pressure of his mouth made Blurr's dick twitch.  
  
"You can stay as long as you want." Blurr swallowed, leaning back into Starscream's touch. "But next week, I have to go to Iacon. The finals, you know."  
  
Two palms found two nipples, rubbing them nice and slow, and Blurr exhaled a groan, his dick tenting his boxers.  
  
"I'll wait for you here then." Starscream's right hand dragged lower, lower, until he pressed the heel of his palm to Blurr's dick and ground down. "But for right now, I'm thinking I want you inside me. This especially."  
  
Blurr jerked up against Starscream's palm. "Yeah, sure. Whatever you want." Primus when they said 'heat', they meant it. Not that Blurr was complaining.  
  
He was going to be exhausted tomorrow.  
  
"Maybe find time for giving Rathi a call, too?" Blurr asked as he reached back to thread his fingers through Starscream's feathers. "She was worried about you."  
  
"Let's not talk about Rathi right now." Starscream's lips found his earlobe and gave it a tug. "I'd rather get my mouth on your dick."  
  
Primus.  
  
"I'm inclined to let you," Blurr said, and he groaned as Starscream stroked him again, pressing hot and soft against his bare skin, smelling sweet like arousal and want.  
  
Yeah. Totally exhausted.  
  
But worth it.  
  


****


	27. Chapter 27

Blurr dreamed about flying.  
  
It wasn't unusual. He often dreamed about flying. He'd been dreaming about flying since he was a kid. Flying was a pretty common dream. Flying on one's own power. Flying in some kind of machine. Flying with wings. Flying with magic.  
  
Soaring through the sky, coasting through clouds, the sun on his skin.  
  
No. On his feathers.  
  
In his dreams, Blurr flew, and he had feathers. He flapped his arms, he flapped his wings, and he climbed higher. He spread his wings and he coasted. He tucked his wings and he dove.  
  
Starscream flew beside him. He was beautiful in flight.  
  
"See?" he said, before the wind snatched his words away. "Anytime you want. I'll always take you flying."  
  
He smiled, and Blurr wanted to kiss him. He could do that now, kiss him with fangs, with the smell of Starscream so much sharper and more poignant.  
  
Blurr dreamed of flying a lot more than he used to. He didn't think anything of it. Blurr wanted to fly, he wanted that speed, he wanted that freedom.  
  
It wasn't weird at all.  
  


~

  
  
He woke up itching, that first night after Starscream came to him in the last whispers of heat. He chalked it up to sleeping wrapped in feathers, their bodies sticky with dry fluids and come, because Blurr hadn't the energy for a second shower after the first.  
  
He left Starscream twisted in the sheets, showered, and dragged himself off to class. He couldn't miss anymore. Not if he actually wanted that diploma.  
  
A few feathers swirled down the drain. He pretended not to notice they were blue, instead of red, because he was tired, and sure he'd seen wrong anyway.  
  
It was nothing to worry about.  
  


~

  
  
He went to class.  
  
He went to practice.  
  
He came home to Starscream, who was always, always hungry for him. Blurr returned that hunger, because he'd missed Starscream, and felt like he could not get enough.  
  
He woke up a few days later in pain, the kind that made him reach for a bottle of ibuprofen. His legs ached, his arms ached, his shoulders ached.  
  
"Are you all right?" Starscream asked when he spied Blurr groaning and shuffling around, rubbing his shoulder as he rolled the joint.  
  
"Nothing a bottle of painkillers won't fix," Blurr said with a grin. "Don't worry. I'm probably pushing myself too hard. It's no big deal."  
  
Starscream didn't look convinced. Blurr didn't feel convinced. It was the only reason he decided to skip his midday class and go to the clinic instead. He worried he was coming down with something, like a Spring flu, and wouldn't that be the worst, a few days before he was due to leave for Finals.  
  
"You're healthy," the doctor said after he tucked his stethoscope over his shoulders and skimmed Blurr's chart. "I could schedule an allergy test, see what might be causing the itching, but the fatigue and the discomfort? It sounds stress-induced. I'll know more when I get your bloodwork back."  
  
"But no infection?"  
  
The doctor shook his head. "No. None that I can see. You don't have any other symptoms of something viral either." He smiled and it was that patient, falsely reassuring physician smile. "Get some rest, Mr. Song. I think that's the best medicine for you right now."  
  
He left without an answer. It wasn't reassuring. But Blurr took a handful of ibuprofen, and the ache dulled to a mere annoyance.  
  
Coach Sylvester told him to take the night off. Go to sleep early. Laze around. "I can't have my best chance at a new trophy collapsing on me," she'd said. "And don't say I'm not warm and fuzzy anymore."  
  
Blurr went back to the dorm, and Starscream must have been feeling guilty, because he pampered Blurr all night, including a very wonderful scalp massage. Lazy kisses and cuddling on the bed capped off the evening.  
  
"You sure this is okay?" Blurr asked.  
  
"I'm not a sex-crazed monster," Starscream replied with a chuckle. He wrapped Blurr in his arms, and made a sound not unlike a purr. "This is good, too. So long as I'm with you."  
  
That, at least, was reassuring.  
  


~

  
  
Starscream's heat ended, and a couple days later, Blurr prepared to board a train to Kaon proper, where he would race in the city-state finals, possibly ensuring a spot to compete on an international scale, if he were so inclined. Which he wasn't.  
  
Right now, Coach was the only one who knew that.  
  
"Dr. Morgan said they're going to broadcast it so I'm going to watch the meets with her," Starscream said as he stood outside the train station with Blurr, out of view of his teammates or anyone who might find their proximity curious.  
  
TJ was standing guard, like the very best friend he was.  
  
"Sorry you can't come with me," Blurr said, genuine in his regret. He always ran faster with Starscream cheering him on.  
  
"I'll be with you." Starscream slid a talon around the leather thong of the crystal and gave it a tug. "Just like this."  
  
Blurr snorted. "Romantic."  
  
"Only for you." Starscream kissed him, and it was a challenge to keep it as quick and chaste as it needed to be.  
  
"Blurr! We gotta go, man!"  
  
Starscream chuckled against his lips. "Duty calls." He pulled Blurr into a hug, buried his face in Blurr’s hair, and the warmth of him, the scent of him, seemed to wrap around Blurr like a wish. “You’re going to win, Blurr. You’re going to be great.”  
  
“Of course I am.” Blurr squeezed him back and then tore himself away, lest he start something he couldn’t finish. “You’ll be here when I get back?”  
  
“Always.”  
  
Blurr believed him.  
  
He joined TJ and tried not to look back like a lovelorn fool. He adjusted his backpack strap and planted a smile on his face.  
  
“You look like you’re walking on air,” TJ teased. “Maybe I should find myself a bird-boyfriend, too. I’m kind of jealous.”  
  
Blurr rolled his eyes. “He’s pretty high-maintenance, you know.”  
  
“And you’re not?” TJ laughed and hooked his arm through Blurr’s, tugging him toward the train and Coach standing outside the door, tapping her foot impatiently. “Babe, I’ve known you for three years. You might as well be a trophy husband.”  
  
“I resent that remark.”  
  
“I think you mean resemble.”  
  
“Boys, if you don’t get your asses on this train, I’m going to leave you behind,” Coach Sylvester barked, and Blurr swore steam came out of her ears. “And then I won’t get my trophy. When that happens, I’m not going to be happy.”  
  
TJ chuckled and whispered against Blurr’s ear, “Is she ever happy?” and they giggled like a couple of preschoolers as they stumbled onto the train and took the last empty seat with the rest of their teammates.  
  


~

  
  
Blurr slept the entirety of the train ride, his head pillowed on TJ's shoulder and leaving a drool spot behind, which TJ teased him endlessly for. It was better, Blurr decided, than the worry furrowing TJ's brow.  
  
"It's just stress," Blurr assured him, even if he didn't quite believe it himself.  
  
"Is that what you call staying up all night to sex your feathery boyfriend?" TJ retorted, and Blurr rolled his eyes.  
  
"Shut up."  
  
The hotel was nothing fancy, but it had a free continental breakfast, and free was an important word when you were feeding a dozen hungry athletes. Also, it was over twenty stories tall and he and TJ scored a room with a view and a balcony. There were perks to being Coach's favorite, and perks to being the best friend of the favorite, according to TJ.  
  
Coach shouted at them to stow their bags, change their clothes, and meet her downstairs.  
  
Blurr groaned because he knew what that meant. Pre-dinner run.  
  
"We're gonna keep it nice and easy, people," Coach said as she paced in front of them while they stretched. "No sprints. No parkour. I want you loose and warmed up, not straining yourself. I want a trophy, not a bunch of tired, sprained runners. Got me?"  
  
Blurr fell into an easy rhythm, TJ keeping strides alongside him, and it was easy to forget in that moment, the weird ache in his body, the fatigue invading his every limb, the way his mind wandered if he didn't keep a leash on it. Running was freedom, and Blurr grinned as the wind whipped at his face, and his runners ate up the pavement.  
  
They passed a storefront, the small business closed for the day, and huge windows displaying the sale of the season. Out of the corner of his eye, Blurr caught a flash of tall, blue feathers, moving in a swift burst of speed. He stumbled on nothing, heart leaping into his throat, because that harpy had been running beside TJ, and it made no sense.  
  
Blurr skidded to a stop, gasping for breath, his head spinning. He braced his palms on his thighs, and squeezed his eyes shut. He was seeing things. He was tired, that was all.  
  
"Hey. You all right?" TJ's hand rested on his upper back, his voice thick with concern.  
  
"Lost my rhythm," Blurr gasped out. "Tripped. Damn sidewalk. They really should fix that."  
  
"Blurr, there's nothing there."  
  
"What? People can't trip on nothing?"  
  
TJ's hand tightened on his shoulder. "I'm worried about you, Dae," and oh, that was a low blow, going for his given name. "You aren't sick, are you?"  
  
"No, I'm not sick." At least, not with anything a doctor could identify, and Blurr didn't want to think about what meant. "I'm fine. I promise. Don't tell Coach."  
  
TJ huffed. "If you're fine, why can't I tell Coach?"  
  
Blurr straightened and dragged his fingers through his hair. "Because I just want to run. I want to race. I want to  _win_." He chewed on the inside of his cheek and gave TJ his most earnest look. "Whatever this is, I'll figure it out after the race tomorrow. I just don't want to miss it."  
  
"I'm going to regret this, I just know I am," TJ muttered, but he straightened and pulled Blurr up with him. "Come on. We have to catch up before Coach realizes something is wrong."  
  
Blurr had the best friends. "Thank you."  
  
"You owe me. And I want answers." TJ poked him in the shoulder, planting a stern look on his face.  
  
"As soon as I have some, I'll share. Promise."  
  
TJ sighed. "Fine. Come on. Let's go."  
  
Blurr didn't trip anymore that day or evening. Nor did he see anything weird, have any unusual dreams, or odd itches. He didn't know if that was a relief or not.  
  


~

  
  
The morning of the competition dawned bright and beautiful, breezy and sunny, with enough cloud to keep the sun from frying them on the track. Blurr woke with more energy than he'd had in the past week, and he gobbled down a breakfast that had TJ raising both eyebrows.  
  
"Well, someone's feeling better," he said.  
  
Blurr shrugged. "Gotta keep up my energy," he said, and shoveled another spoonful of granola into his mouth.  
  
The excitement in the air was palpable, and Blurr was bouncy with it. The closer they got to the field, the more it grew. Bright flags for the competing cities fluttered in the wind, and spectators streamed into the stands, holding signs and banners for their favorite athlete or team.  
  
They were going to win. He was sure of it.  
  
A surety that proved true. Race after race, the 400-meter, the 200-meter, the relay. Blurr crossed the finish line in first place, leaving most of his opponents in the dust. He cheered from the sidelines as TJ brought home the gold for their relay team, and dogged Blurr's heels for silver in the 400.  
  
"I feel like I'm always going to be staring at your ass when I run," TJ had said, laughing, as he slung his arms over Blurr's shoulders and pulled him in for a celebratory hug. "I hate you so much. You're damn lucky it's a good view."  
  
It came time for the 100-meter heats and anticipation danced up Blurr's spine. This was it, his time to shine. This was where he could show his stuff, win Coach the best trophy, and retire on a high note.  
  
"Dae-Hyeun Song?"  
  
The sound of his name, mispronounced and mangled, caught Blurr's attention mid-stretch. He turned toward an official looking man, slacks and a button-down with tie, even in this heat, holding a clipboard. His look screamed 'talent scout' and this was it, this was the moment Blurr had always dreamed of.  
  
Funny how it left nothing but a lump of do-not-want in his belly. He saw it then, what it would really mean, to sign that contract, sign his life and his face and his body over to a company. How little freedom he'd actually have. How much he'd hate himself forever.  
  
"Yeah. That's me," Blurr said as he swept a towel around his face, wicking away the sweat. "Most people just call me Blurr."  
  
"It's a pleasure to meet you. My name is--"  
  
Blurr held up a hand, and an easygoing smile to hopefully take the sting out of his rudeness. "It's okay, you don't have to tell me. I'm not interested."  
  
The man blinked at him. His smile slipped a little. "I beg your pardon?"  
  
"I love running," Blurr said as he balled up his towel. "But I don't want to compete for the rest of my life. And I don't want to sell myself either."  
  
Two eyebrows crawled up toward the man's hairline. "You certainly sound like you already know what you want."  
  
"I do."  
  
"Well." The man shifted his weight, and his clipboard from one hand to the other. "It was to nice meet you, Blurr. I look forward to seeing you win today."  
  
Blurr grinned. "Me, too."  
  
The announcement regarding the 100-meter heats poured from the intercom, and Blurr tilted his ear toward the nearest speaker.  
  
"Well, that's my cue," he said, jogging backward. "See you at the finish line."  
  
It was as easy as that. Blurr tossed his towel in the direction of their sidelines and jogged toward the starting block, feeling lighter and more free than he had in months. It was like he'd slid a huge weight from his shoulders and abandoned it in the dirt.  
  
"Blurr. Wait!"  
  
He paused before he hit the track and turned to see TJ jogging to catch up to him, wildly waving Blurr's own phone in the air.  
  
"You really want to take this call, man. I promise," TJ huffed as he tumbled the phone into Blurr's hands, and he fumbled to catch it, fingers shaky from the adrenaline rush of what he just refused.  
  
“Hello?”  
  
“Blurr.” Starscream’s voice poured into his ear, and Blurr lit up from the inside out. “I know you’re about to run your final meets for the day. I just wanted to say good luck even though I know you don’t need it.”  
  
Blurr smiled and stared at the ground, soaking up the sound of his partner’s voice. “Whose phone did you borrow? Rathi’s?”  
  
“Of course.” Starscream chuckled, and Blurr would probably be able to hear the background noise, if it weren’t for the noise from the stands drowning it out. “Bring me back a gold medal, okay? I want to hang it in our nest to make Roddy jealous.”  
  
Blurr laughed. “You’re ridiculous.”  
  
“And you’re a winner.” Starscream’s voice turned warm and syrupy, sending emotion to pool liquid-like in his belly. “I love you.”  
  
“I love you, too,” Blurr said, before the phone was snatched out of his hands, and TJ pressed his other hand to Blurr’s shoulder, shoving him toward the tracks.  
  
“Go! They’ll disqualify you! Hurry up! I don’t care how cute you are!” he was saying with the biggest grin on his face.  
  
Blurr turned and obeyed, hurrying to the starting look, but not without a parting look over his shoulder. TJ had the phone up to his ear, and he was waving, beaming at Blurr like a proud parent. Idiot.  
  
Blurr lined up at the blocks, and ran through a few stretches, eying up his competition critically. He didn’t think anyone would present a challenge. He’d raced a few of his opponents before. He wasn’t worried.  
  
He settled into position. He closed his eyes. He breathed in. Out. In. Out. He focused on the scent of the track, the shift of the breeze, the warmth of the sun, the buzz of a nearby insect, louder somehow than the roaring crowd. He felt the weight of the stares on his back and flexed his toes inside his runners.  
  
 _I love you._  
  
There was no itch. There was no ache. There was no fatigue.  
  
There was only the track and the finish line and the gold medal waiting for him as soon as he crossed it.  
  
 _Bang!_  
  
Blurr took off, ignoring the huffing of the runners to his left and right, the slap of their shoes against the track. He zeroed in on the finish line, tunnel vision focused on it and only it, running so fast it felt like he were flying, that his feet barely touched the ground.  
  
The wind twisted and danced around him. The sun beamed down over his feathers. He climbed and he glided and he fell and he soared, and he shot across the finish line as if it wasn’t there.  
  
What?  
  
Blurr lost his rhythm. One foot stumbled and then the other. He tripped, tried to catch himself, and fumbled even that. He hit the ground, one knee first, and pain lanced up through that leg. The world spun around him, spinning faster and faster, and he couldn’t catch his breath. The pain was back, louder than the cheers of the crowd.  
  
The pain was agony, not an ache anymore but agony, clawing up from his toes to his calves to his knees to his thighs to his hips, up and up and up. His heart thudded, his body slicked with a cold sweat, and the world kept spinning. He couldn’t hear anything but the dull rushing in his ears.  
  
His vision went gray around the edges. His shoulder blades itched, and he tried to scratch them but his arms wouldn’t move. Darkness crept in, and hands cupped his face, warm and soft and familiar hands.  
  
“Blurr! Damn it, I shouldn’t have listened to you. Blurr!”  
  
TJ.  
  
Blurr blinked. He shuddered and sank back into himself. No, he threw back into himself, as if his soul had been detaching from his body and floating away.  
  
He blinked again. TJ was still there, pale beneath his dark skin, hands gripping Blurr’s face too hard. Blurr pawed at his wrists.  
  
“Ow,” he said, and registered the pain in his knee then. He smelled blood in the air. “I think I tripped.”  
  
“You clumsy idiot!” TJ hissed and he dropped his hands to Blurr’s shoulders, gave him a little shake. “You scared the life out of me.”  
  
“Thirsty,” Blurr said, because his mouth was as dry as a desert, and he was sweating in the heat, his jersey clinging to his body. “Did I win?”  
  
TJ sighed and knocked his forehead against Blurr’s. “Yes, you won. That’s a handful of gold medals you’re taking home.” He produced a bottled water from nowhere and held it to Blurr’s lips. “Come on. Drink. You’re crazy pale, and it’s scaring the shit out of me.”  
  
Blurr gulped down the water. He looked around and blanched at the crowd gathering. His teammates, Coach, and a team of what looked to be EMTs huffing Blurr’s way. Fantastic. He’d made a scene.  
  
“I’m fine,” Blurr insisted as he swiped the back of his hand over his mouth. “I just tripped.”  
  
Coach planted her hands on her hips and glared at him. “You don’t trip.”  
  
“I did today.” Blurr shrugged and gave her his most charming grin. “I won, didn’t I?”  
  
Coach clawed her hands through her hair and the lines in her face deepened with stress. “You are the reason I’m going gray, kid,” she said, and twisted her jaw. “Tyrael, help him up, then plant his ass on the bench. I don’t want him to move until the medal ceremony.”  
  
TJ helped him back to the bench, and Blurr was treated to a thorough examination by the on-site EMTs, who couldn’t find a damn thing wrong with him. His blood pressure was great. His pulse was fantastic. He didn’t have a temperature. His breathing was normal. His pupils responded properly.  
  
They bandaged up his knee and prescribed fluids, food, and rest, not necessarily in that order. Probably just the heat and the excitement, they said, and Blurr smiled and nodded and agreed with them.  
  
Probably just.  
  
There was nothing to worry about. Blurr had retired with a bang and enough gold medals to decorate Starscream’s nest and make Rodimus suitably jealous.  
  
He was absolutely fine.  
  
And he wasn’t standing on the balcony of his hotel room, hands curved around the thin, rickety railing, thinking about how easy it would be to vault over it so he could fly. He certainly didn’t lift his arms, feel the wind against them, and close his eyes to imagine himself gliding through the clouds.  
  
He could be over the rail in an instant, and twenty stories up, he could soar into the sky.  
  
Except he couldn't. Because he wasn't a fucking bird.  
  
Blurr backed away so fast it left him dizzy. He pressed against the balcony door, palms to the cold glass, and stared blankly into the night. He breathed slowly, in and out, and wondered what the fuck was wrong with him.  
  
He was losing his mind, that's what was wrong with him.  
  
“Dae.”  
  
TJ stood in the open doorway, and he looked at Blurr, and his voice sounded careful, like talking to a scared animal.  
  
“What’re you doing?”  
  
Blurr swallowed thickly. “I don’t know,” he admitted, and he was shaking. He’d broken into a cold sweat, and suddenly, he wanted nothing more than to be inside, far away from anything resembling heights. “I think I should lay down.”  
  
“Yeah. Me, too.”  
  
Blurr slipped inside, and TJ closed the door, locking it with a turn of the deadbolt, as if that would keep Blurr from venturing outside.  
  
Blurr slid into the bed, shivering, burrowing under the thick comforter. The ache started again, settling deep in his bones.  
  
"Could you bring me some ibuprofen?" Blurr asked, and his voice sounded distant and pathetic, even to him.  
  
The bed barely moved as TJ sat on the edge of it, offering both pills and water. "I'm worried about you."  
  
"Me, too." Blurr sat up to take the medicine, and felt the weight of gravity on his shoulders, pulling him back into the bed. "But the EMTs said I'm fine."  
  
TJ squinted at him. "Maybe it's not physical."  
  
"You think I'm going crazy?"  
  
"I think you're acting really weird. I dunno. You hear crazy things like people with tapeworms in their brains. You need a Catscan or something."  
  
Blurr managed a quiet chuckle. "You think I have worms?"  
  
"I don't know what you have. I just know something's not right."  
  
Blurr tried to re-cap the water, and fumbled the lid, because his fingers didn't want to work. He felt like they should be longer, or he was compensating for too-long nails he didn't have. TJ sighed and rescued him, and that furrow in his eyebrows deepened.  
  
"I'm tired," Blurr said, and flopped back onto the mattress, rolling into the blanket to combat the shivers. "I'll go to the doctor back home. Not here. Promise." The only point of real warmth was on his chest, and when Blurr touched it, his fingers wrapped around the stone Starscream had given him.  
  
"I'm going to hold you to it."  
  
"Mm."  
  
Blurr drifted into sleep, pulled there by an irresistible siren's call of exhaustion. He dreamed he was flying again, beside Starscream as always, against a blue, blue sky. They flew over a lake, and Blurr looked down, saw himself as a harpy. Long tail, blue and gray feathers, a slightly wider wingspan than Starscream's.  
  
If he weren't himself, he'd have said he was beautiful.  
  
He heard voices, distantly.  
  
"--worried, Rathi. No, don't meet us with an ambulance. Something tells me he'll freak and run. What do I know? I'm not a doctor. I'm not even pre-med."  
  
Blurr groaned and rolled over, pulling the blanket over his head. The handful of ibuprofen weren't enough. The pain was bone-deep and radiating through every inch of his body. His skin crawled, and he wanted to scratch it, but movement was agony. He was hot and he was cold, and he was asleep again.  
  
Dreaming.  
  
Morning came, and Blurr drifted on a cloud. He woke to the sun slatting across his eyes, the pain dulled to an ache, and he crawled out of bed with all the energy of a slug. He showered and stared at a few tiny fluffs of feathers swirling down the drain. He scratched at his elbows, found the skin there oddly dry and flaky.  
  
He felt like shit, but other than looking a little pale, the mirror stared back at him with bright eyes and a faint smile.  
  
TJ shoved food at him until he ate, swayed only by the over-large sweet roll TJ had found, liberally drenched in sweet icing and cinnamon. It reminded Blurr of Starscream, and his heart offered a triple-thump. He missed his harpy.  
  
"Rathi's going to pick us up at the train station," TJ said as he nudged another roll toward Blurr, along with a glass of orange juice. "She made an appointment at urgent care for you."  
  
Blurr blinked. "Rathi has a car?"  
  
"She rented one," TJ said with a huff of exasperation. "And you're getting in it so you can go to the doctor."  
  
"Can't I go back to the dorm first?"  
  
"No."  
  
Blurr twisted his jaw and tried to dredge up a glare, though it was so hard to focus on TJ. All two of him. "They're not going to find anything wrong, you know."  
  
"That's not the point." TJ dug into his own breakfast with a viciousness the sausage patty did not deserve. "We're your family, we care, and we're going to make sure that if you're sick, you get the proper treatment. There's no getting out of this."  
  
Blurr's chest filled with warmth. His eyes were hot, and he blinked it away. He obediently started picking at his second cinnamon roll.  
  
"All right," he said, because how could he argue with that?  
  
Besides, he knew TJ was right. He knew something was wrong, maybe nothing a doctor could fix, and he wasn't sure how he knew it, but he did. Something was wrong, but it was also right. It was supposed to happen, and it was strange how not-upset he was about it.  
  
He slept for most of the train ride home, with TJ planted next to him, poised to strike as though he thought Blurr might dive out the train window or flee from him somehow. He dozed, in and out of consciousness, occasionally waking to find TJ on the phone, speaking in a low voice, but the words muffled, like hearing them through a thin, apartment wall.  
  
TJ shook him awake when the train pulled into the station, and Blurr pulled away from him with a hiss. His skin felt like fire, itching and burning, and the deep ache in his bones started up again, throb-throb-throbbing to the same beat as his heart.  
  
"Come on. We just gotta get to the car," TJ said, and Blurr leaned heavily on him, struggling to breathe, every step a special agony.  
  
Blurr's vision dimmed, in and out. He stumbled, like he couldn't remember how to walk, and the three steps to the platform were an unsteady obstacle he navigated thanks to the railing and TJ's hand on his elbow. The sun felt warm on his face. He itched, all over, like he'd broken out into hives, but there was nothing there, nothing to be scratched.  
  
"TJ! Over here!"  
  
Rathi's voice came through a fog, but an awareness prickled up Blurr's spine. He turned, as TJ did, and while his eyes passed over Rathi, they focused with laser-precision on Stascream, hurrying alongside her.  
  
He was the most beautiful thing Blurr had ever seen.  
  
"Star," he breathed, and something inside of him jolted, like he'd been struck with lightning. It ran through his entire body, licked through his veins, and the angry throb of pain in his bones turned into agony.  
  
His knees wobbled. The sidewalk rushed up to meet him. Someone screamed as his world turned dark, and Blurr realized, as he fell, that the screaming was him.  
  


***


	28. Chapter 28

Blurr woke up.  
  
He wasn't dead.  
  
But he was, however, back in the Kaon aerie. He recognized the lattice of branches above his head, and the ambient noise -- that of wings, wind, and harpy chattering. He even recognized the scent in the air -- herbal remedies, lemon cleaner, and fresh wood.  
  
His memories were made of cotton. He wondered how he’d gotten here, when last he recalled, he was on the train with TJ. He’d been in pain. He’d been screaming. He was neither now. In fact, there wasn’t a single part of him that hurt.  
  
The itching though. That remained. It wasn’t as bad as it used to be, but it was a faint annoyance.  
  
Blurr blinked and tried to push himself upward, but something felt off. Wrong. His arms didn't work the way he wanted them to. That point between his shoulderblades itched something fierce.  
  
He automatically reached to scratch it and froze.  
  
Blue?  
  
Blurr looked down, and his eyes widened. He was blue. And covered in feathers. And naked. And  _blue_.  
  
What the holy fucking fuck?  
  
He was… he was…  
  
He needed a mirror. He needed to… get out of this bed, was this a fucking hammock? Blurr tried to roll, to get to his feet? His talons? He didn’t have feet. Or toes. He had talons.  
  
No, this had to be dream.  
  
A distressed squawk escaped him as he started to thrash. It felt like the net of the hammock had wrapped around him. Blue feathers fluttered into the air.  
  
The flap of fabric serving as a curtain whooshed aside. Starscream rushed in, Ratchet hot on his heels, and relief flooded Blurr because he’d missed Starscream so much that it felt like physical agony.  
  
“Star!” Blurr cried and flailed some more because the damned hammock wouldn’t release him. “What happened? Why am I…? What's going...?”  
  
He broke off and stared at both of them in horror. He wasn’t speaking in his native tongue. He’d chirped and cheeped and made a weird noise that sounded exactly like the harpy language. Except he understood what it meant. And apparently, Ratchet and Starscream did, too.  
  
“Calm down, Blurr,” Starscream said as he and Ratchet both rushed to disentangle Blurr from the blankets and the hammock, where his thrashing had only served to cause a bigger knot. “You’re going to hurt yourself.”  
  
“How can I be calm?” Blurr said, and it was a shriek, one that made Starscream and Ratchet both wince, their feathers ruffling around them like a human with goosebumps.  
  
“Because I need you to be,” Starscream murmured, his hands gentle on Blurr’s shoulders.  
  
“And because you’ve tangled your primary quill in the netting, and if you don’t be still, you’ll tear it out. Then you’ll be in a world of pain,” Ratchet snarled as he shoved Blurr back into the hammock with a firm hand. “You’ll get your answers soon enough. At least what we know of them. So be. Still.”  
  
Blurr froze. Because Ratchet was right. There was a lance of hot pain in his right side, and the more he moved, the more it felt like a knife twisted between his ribs and under his skin. His heart hammered in his chest, and his skin prickled, and when he looked down, he realized it was because his feathers were fluffing out, just like Ratchet and Starscream’s.  
  
 _His feathers._  
  
“Why am I harpy?” Blurr asked, and Primus, would he ever get used to the sound of a harpy’s language? All the chirps and whistles and squawks.  
  
Starscream moved out of Ratchet’s way, but kept close, reaching for Blurr’s hand and tangling their fingers together. Equally long fingers now. The prick of Starscream’s talons no longer bothered him.  
  
“We don’t know,” Starscream murmured, and his eyes were big and bright and worried, his grip a little too tight. “There’s no precedent for it.”  
  
Ratchet moved around the hammock and Blurr felt a light tugging as he started to extract Blurr from the tangle he'd made of himself.  
  
“It seems like Adaptus has plans for you,” Ratchet commented as his talons worked carefully through Blurr's feathers. “Or Primus. Either way, you're lucky, kid.”  
  
“Not a kid,” Blurr said, though another distressed chirp emerged from his lips. He couldn't stop shaking and the lingering ache in his bones was uncomfortable.  
  
“All of you are kids to me,” Ratchet retorted, and then Blurr heard a grunt, before a source of his discomfort abruptly vanished.  
  
He gasped with relief.  
  
“There. You're untangled. Now let's get you off that hammock and on your feet,” Ratchet said as he circled to Blurr's other side, taking Blurr's free hand.  
  
“I don't have feet,” Blurr muttered as they eased him off the hammock until he could stand under his own power.  
  
Or kind of under his own power. He felt weird. All of his weight tipped in unusual directions. His clawed feet kept trying to curl under him when he wanted them to go flat. He felt top heavy and awkward, and he clutched Ratchet and Starscream's hands, knowing he was probably stabbing them with his finger claws, too.  
  
He was… well, he was shorter than Ratchet, he realized. Slimmer, too. But taller than Starscream. Not by a whole lot, but it was kind of nice to actually look Starscream in the eyes.  
  
“You have feet,” Ratchet said in an exasperated tone, one hand gripping Blurr's left as the other rested at the base of his back, giving him support. “They just aren't what you're used to.”  
  
“It's not that bad, is it?” Starscream asked.  
  
Blurr looked down at himself, but all he could see was blue. “I don't know. Is it?” he asked. He was having a hard time focusing.  
  
One moment, he passed out unconscious from pain, and the next, he woke up, and he was a harpy. How was he supposed to be reacting?  
  
“You're quite beautiful,” Starscream reassured with a lopsided smile. “Do you want to see? I'll bet Ratchet has a mirror around here somewhere.”  
  
“Let him find his feet first,” Ratchet grumped.  
  
Blurr nodded slowly. He lifted one foot, then the other. Testing them out. Resting his weight from side to side, trying to find his balance.  
  
“When you’re ready, Rathi and TJ are here as well,” Starscream murmured, obviously trying to keep a smooth and calm grip on the situation. “They are very worried about you.”  
  
Blurr blinked. He looked at Starscream, surprised. “But they’re human.”  
  
“Allowances were made.” Ratchet’s grip on Blurr’s arm eased. “I’m going to let go. See if you can stand on your own.”  
  
And then he did, without giving Blurr a chance to protest.  
  
Blurr sucked in a breath, prepared himself for toppling to the ground, but nope. His knees held. His taloned feet balanced. He might have leaned a little heavily on Starscream, but he was standing. On his own two feet.  
  
“Faster than I thought,” Ratchet said, approvingly. He stepped back, looking Blurr up and down. “Your instincts are good. Or whatever changed you has compensated. Like frag I know what I’m talking about.” He threw his hands into the air.  
  
Blurr ignored him. He focused on himself instead, on shifting his weight out of Starscream’s grip and onto his own two feet. He needed to be able to stand, to walk. He might never run again, not on these feet, but he would fly. He wanted to fly.  
  
He wondered if this was all a dream.  
  
“Are you sure I’m awake?” he asked, which was stupid because his dreams would tell him he was awake. It was up to him to shake himself out of his dream.  
  
“You’re awake,” Starscream said, his tone gone soft again. Worried. Like he needed to tread lightly around Blurr. “And you’re a harpy. We don’t know how or why, but it happened.”  
  
Blurr nibbled on his bottom lip. “Can you change me back?”  
  
Starscream’s hand slid away from his arm, and Blurr wobbled before he caught his balance and stood up straight. Hah. Progress.  
  
“Is that what you want?” Starscream asked.  
  
“I just want to know it’s an option,” Blurr said. He looked at Ratchet, who regarded them both with narrow eye. “Am I healthy?”  
  
“Near as I can tell.” Ratchet ruffled his feathers, glanced between him and Starscream, then slid toward the door. “I’ll just go get those friends of yours. And a mirror. Be right back.” He vanished past the curtain in a blink, leaving Blurr and Starscream alone.  
  
“I’m surprised they let you bring me here,” Blurr said absently, because there was a tension now, a heavy feeling in the air, and he didn’t know how to address it.  
  
“They weren’t going to. We were on our way to the hospital when you started to change.” Starscream’s fingers slid over his shoulder, down his arm, lightly caressing his feathers. “We decided it was in everyone’s best interest if we turned the car around and came to the aerie instead.”  
  
Blurr nodded. “Yeah. I’d rather not become a science experiment, thank you very much.” He grabbed Starscream’s hand, tangling their fingers together, marveling that they matched, that he was blue, and Starscream was red, and it was weird.  
  
Weird but wonderful.  
  
“I worried I’d never see you again, if they put you with the human doctors,” Starscream admitted quietly. “I’m glad I convinced them.”  
  
“Me, too.” Blurr swallowed, and it felt weird, because his tongue was longer now, and he could taste more things in the air. Everything felt  _more_. “I knew something was wrong, something was happening, I just didn’t know what. I didn’t expect this.”  
  
“Are you upset?”  
  
Blurr lifted one leg and spread out his talon-tipped toes. He wiggled them and stared at the strangeness that was his feet. “I’m not anything,” he said, because he felt numb, like his body’s reaction was to shutdown until he was capable of processing it.  
  
“I’m sorry.”  
  
Blurr blinked and he looked at Starscream, who wasn’t looking back at him. Who was staring at the ground, or somewhere in the area of Blurr’s chest, his fingers trembling.  
  
“You’re stuck like this,” Starscream said. “Unless we can figure out how you changed in the first place. Once it sinks in, you’re going to realize how angry you are. This must be the last thing you wanted.”  
  
He’d seen Starscream behave like this once before. Pulling into himself, shoulders hunched, eyes downcast, as though he knew better than to raise his voice. As though someone had taught him, probably harshly, once upon a time, that there were ways to behave and ways not to behave, and Starscream dangerously treaded that line.  
  
Blurr worked his jaw. “I don’t know if I’ll ever be angry,” he said, and turned into Starscream, pulling his lover into his arms, marveling that he could do it now. He could nuzzle Starscream without having to rise to his tiptoes, that he could breathe in and taste the intricacies of Starscream’s scent. “Might take some getting used to.”  
  
Starscream returned the embrace, a bit stiffly, and he didn’t relax into it until it was obvious Blurr wasn’t letting go anytime soon. “You were screaming,” he murmured, and a ripple passed through his body, like a shudder of fear. “It was horrible.”  
  
“Kind of glad I was unconscious for that part,” Blurr said. He pressed his face into Starscream’s neck, inhaled, and leaned in to Starscream’s embrace, into the only thing familiar right now.  
  
He wondered if Starscream still wanted him, or if being a human was part of the allure. He wondered what this meant for his degree, for his life. He still wondered if this was a dream.  
  
“Sorry I scared you,” Blurr said.  
  
“I’m just glad you’re okay,” Starscream murmured, and he carded his talons through Blurr’s feathers, which was a weird and comforting sensation. “And you won me some gold medals.”  
  
Blurr snorted a laugh, which sounded the same at least. His voice sounded the same, for all that he was speaking another language. It was still familiar.  
  
“For our nest,” Blurr said.  
  
“Our nest,” Starscream echoed, and he tightened his embrace. “You still think of it as our nest. That makes me glad.”  
  
Blurr blinked and pulled back. “Why wouldn’t I?”  
  
Starscream wouldn’t meet his gaze. “This isn’t an ideal situation.”  
  
“True,” Blurr said, and he worked his throat, swallowing over a growing lump. “And I’m different now, too. What if you don’t want me as I am?”  
  
“That’s ridiculous!” Starscream spluttered, and he cupped Blurr’s face, bringing their foreheads together. “I love you as a human, and I love you as a harpy. You’re gorgeous, Blurr! And even if you weren’t, I’d still love you because you’re you. Idiot.” He snorted.  
  
Warmth flooded all the way to Blurr's heart. Core. Whatever. He'd call it what he wanted to call it. Relief followed in the wake of it, and he sighed and sank into Starscream's embrace. That was really all he needed to hear.  
  
The rest he could deal with, but it would have been a lot harder trying to deal with it on his own, and since he'd spent the last year dealing with problems with people's help, he'd kind of gotten used to it. Maybe he was spoiled.  
  
"I love you, too," Blurr murmured, and it was the easiest thing to say this morning. Afternoon. Whatever time it was.  
  
"Ahem."  
  
They separated at the polite, interrupting cough. Ratchet had returned, and in front of him stood TJ and Rathi, with identical mischievous grins.  
  
"I believe these belong to you," Ratchet said in a dry tone.  
  
Blurr rolled his eyes. "Yes, they do." He licked his lips, nervousness setting in. "Um. Hi, guys. Sorry to worry you."  
  
He didn't know how, but what came out of his mouth was plain language, rather than harpy words. Whatever magic changed him, had taught him to instinctively adjust. Wow.  
  
"Hi?" TJ repeated, and only then did Blurr realize for all he was smiling, it was strained. His clothes were rumpled, there was a pillow crease on his cheek, and several twists had slipped from the tail. "We've been worrying ourselves sick for two days!"  
  
Rathi elbowed him. "What he means is, we're glad you're all right." Her eyes narrowed, and she cocked her head. "That is, if it's really you in there."  
  
"It's me," Blurr said. "I can prove it by telling you something only I would know, but that's a little cliche."  
  
Rath's grin widened, and a brightness entered her eyes, which were decorated with dark circles and lines of stress. Like TJ, she looked like she barely slept, her hair in a frazzled braid, and her clothes wrinkled and untucked.  
  
"I believe it's you," she said.  
  
Ratchet coughed again, pointedly. "Starscream, come speak with me in the hall a minute," he said and he gave Starscream a stern look.  
  
Starscream squeezed Blurr's hand and disentangled himself. "They've been really worried. Talk to them," he murmured as he pressed a kiss to Blurr's cheek. "I'll be back."  
  
Blurr waited until both harpies left, leaving him alone with his two best friends. Alone with a heavy, awkward silence Blurr didn't know how to breach.  
  
"You know," TJ said with a sigh as he came forward and planted his hand on Blurr's shoulder, reaching  _up_  to do so. "You didn't have to turn yourself into a harpy to finally be taller than me, Dae."  
  
Blurr snorted a laugh. "You caught me. It was all about those few extra inches."  
  
"Not just in height, I'll bet," Rathi said with raised eyebrows and a blatant ogle of Blurr's body.  
  
Primus. Why did he think they'd react any other way?  
  
"I don't know. I just woke up. Tell you when I find out though," Blurr said with another laugh. He shook his head and sighed. "I honestly don't know what happened."  
  
"But you're not upset?" TJ asked.  
  
Blurr shrugged and took a step back, sitting in the comfortable sway of the hammock. He felt oddly exhausted, like he'd been running for hours and finally took a break. "I don't know. I feel like I ought to be." He held up a hand, shaking the feathers pointedly. "I mean, look at me. I'm a bird."  
  
"You're a harpy," Rathi corrected as she slid into the hammock on his left side and snuggled up against him, her fingers plucking over his feathers. "And a very pretty one, if I do say so myself. Blue is a good color for you."  
  
Blurr lifted his chin. "You think so?"  
  
"Yes, you vain thing, I do." Rathi patted him on the cheek and arched an eyebrow. "TJ, tell him he's pretty."  
  
TJ rolled his eyes. "Why do I feel like you're just fishing for compliments?" He flicked a hand at them. "Scoot over. Make room."  
  
"You can fit," Rathi retorted.  
  
"Not with all these feathers. He's bigger now," TJ said, but he worked his way onto the hammock on Blurr's other side, until he was caged in by the two humans.  
  
Humans. Which Blurr wasn't anymore. Primus.  
  
"How come you two aren't freaking out?" Blurr asked, because there was a point he knew the reality would set in, and he'd start hyperventilating over all the weird.  
  
"Because we had our freak out already, when you first collapsed and started changing," TJ said.  
  
"Frankly, we're just glad you're not dead, and you don't seem to be in pain anymore. We can deal with some feathers," Rathi added.  
  
"Though Coach might be a different story." TJ sighed and patted Blurr on the thigh, though his fingers lingered as they caressed Blurr's feathers curiously. "At least you had the decency to get her that trophy before you bailed."  
  
Blurr tilted his head back into a cradle of pillows. "Magically turning into a harpy doesn't count as bailing, I don't think." He closed his eyes, focused on sensation, mainly how he fit into his changed body, which didn't feel different, until he tried to do something that wasn't the same as a harpy as it would be as a human.  
  
"No, it doesn't." Rathi picked up his right hand and carefully threaded her fingers through his -- in that moment, Blurr understanding how Starscream must have felt, being so careful not to damage Blurr. "We're still your friends, Dae. Still your family. I just want you to know that."  
  
"Always on your side," TJ agreed with a shoulder jostle. "Though I draw the line at you coming to my apartment for your molt. I don't vacuum."  
  
Blurr chuckled, his insides swirling with warmth. One less worry on his shoulders then. Maybe that was why he tenaciously held to his calm.  
  
"I don't know what I'm going to do," Blurr said, honestly. "I mean. I'll probably live here with Starscream, if it turns out this is permanent, and I'm not capable of changing back and forth. There's a lot of things to take care of."  
  
A lot.  
  
His belongings and his room. His job. His degree. His parents, who though they'd disowned him, might raise an eyebrow if he absolutely vanished. The university would want to know what happened to their money. Coach would be a little upset, and Blurr had probably caused a stir when he collapsed.  
  
Blurr’s head spun.  
  
But he couldn't solve it all immediately, and he couldn't solve any of it at the moment. He could barely walk. If this was permanent, well, he'd need to master that basic task first.  
  
Blurr's stomach growled.  
  
TJ snorted a laugh. "Starting with a meal, I think. You've been out for two days."  
  
No wonder he was starving.  
  
The curtain swished open, Starscream stepping inside with a basket tucked under his arm, like he'd been waiting for a cue to make a grand direction. "Ask and I will give it to you," he said with a cheery grin. "The best granola, fruit, and pastries we here at Kaon can provide."  
  
Blurr's stomach growled again, louder than before.  
  
"Gimme," he said, foregoing politeness for the sake of the hunger eating away at his insides.  
  
Starscream chuckled and offered the basket before directing his attention to Rathi and TJ. "Now that Blurr's awake, I think you two should return to the university and smooth over tensions."  
  
"You want us to leave?" Rathi asked.  
  
"Yes. Not because you've been terrible guests, but because I can imagine the rumors that are starting to spread." Starscream frowned, gaze turning distant. "Don't worry. I'll be sending Perceptor with you to help explain as best he can."  
  
Blurr, mouth stuffed with a handful of grapes, wisely stayed silent. He wanted Rathi and TJ to stay, as much as he wanted them to go home, because that overwhelmed feeling was starting to creep in, and all Blurr wanted was to sleep. Preferably in Starscream’s arms. Preferably after they’d had a conversation about Blurr’s future.  
  
Rathi pulled herself out of the hammock with her usual grace, swinging her long braid over one shoulder. “You are not the only one who cares for him,” she said with a firmly pointed finger at Starscream’s shoulder. “You can’t kick us out of his life.”  
  
Starscream rolled his eyes. “I’m not. I’m sending you home for a few days. When he’s got his feet actually under him, I’ll bring him back to the university.”  
  
Blurr munched on a handful of nuts.  
  
“He’s sitting right here,” TJ pointed out with raised eyebrows and a laugh. “You could always ask Dae what he wants.”  
  
These were very tasty nuts. They were the cinnamon-sugar ones. Blurr’s favorites. They were so tasty, they were taking all of his attention because he didn’t want to get in the middle of a tug-of-war with Starscream and Rathi.  
  
Rathi didn’t even look at him.  
  
“Blurr’s in no condition to figure out what he wants,” she said, and once upon a time, Blurr would have been annoyed by her dismissal of his condition. But these were very tasty nuts.  
  
Starscream sighed and rubbed the pads of his fingers over his brow. He looked tired, and it occurred to Blurr, as off-kilter as he felt, he couldn’t imagine the stress the three of them had gone through. Blurr had been unconscious for most of it, but they’d been awake and aware to worry about him.  
  
He lowered the basket. “You’re both right,” he said, and told himself not to quail as all three of their gazes bent on him. “Someone has to go back and make sure Kaon isn’t planning on doing something drastic so the harpies aren’t blamed for anything. And I need to stay here until I can get my feet under me.”  
  
Blurr looked up at Rathi, and offered her a slight grin, which he hoped comforted rather than disconcerted her. He had sharper incisors now. “You two are still my best friends. Nothing is going to change that. I promise. And I’ll come see you as soon as I can.”  
  
It wasn’t that he didn’t want them here. It was that they shouldn’t be here. They had lives that didn’t involve dropping everything for him, when Starscream was perfectly capable of taking care of Blurr in his current state.  
  
Rathi twisted her jaw, but some of the tension in her body eased. “That’s fair.” She slid her eyes to Starscream and narrowed them. “You’ll take good care of him?”  
  
“The very best.” Starscream pressed one palm to his chest and dipped his head.  
  
TJ eased himself out of the hammock, with far less grace than Rathi, nearly getting tangled in the netting much like Blurr had. “If you think Starscream isn’t going to do whatever it takes for Blurr, then you’re not paying attention, Rathi.” He gave them all a wry grin. “Come on. Let’s get out of their feathers.”  
  
Rathi, at least, didn’t argue. “Very well. You’ve arranged an escort for us, then?”  
  
“Two harpies I trust, yes,” Starscream said.  
  
TJ rolled his eyes again and turned back toward Blurr, awkwardly leaning in to the hammock for a hug. “If the two of them agreed on a path, they could take over the world,” he murmured.  
  
Blurr snorted a chuckle. “Guess it’s up to us to rein them in.”  
  
“Nope. That’s all on you, buddy.”  
  
TJ pulled back, and Rathi took his place, pulling Blurr into a squeezing embrace that smelled of incense and woodsmoke and fruit. “You better come see us soon,” she threatened.  
  
“The very minute I can walk without toppling over,” Blurr promised.  
  
Rathi planted a kiss on his cheek and cupped the other with her palm. “You’re one lucky son of a bitch,” she murmured before she let him go and stood taller, hands patting over her clothes in a vague attempt to straighten them of wrinkles. “Alright, let’s get back. We’ve got a lot of shit to take care of.”  
  
Starscream showed them out with a promise to return, and Blurr focused on the basket of fruit in his lap, mindlessly shoving one after another into his mouth. There was a queer tightness in his chest, he didn’t know how to explain it.  
  
His feathers rustled, too. Blurr didn’t know how to interpret that, the way they lifted and fell against his skin, like leaves dancing in a light wind. He put down the basket of fruit, his meal sitting heavy in his belly, and worked himself out of the hammock.  
  
Standing was a challenge, but one he met with determination. He could do this. He took one step, shaky and wobbly, toward the window. He managed a second one. Then a third. He got his hands on the ledge and was able to stare out into a sunny afternoon, with a sky such a crystal-clear blue it made his heart skip a beat. The wind rustled through the leaves of the Aerie’s tree. Distantly, he heard other harpies, other sounds.  
  
It was calming.  
  
He hadn’t realized he was becoming un-calm.  
  
“You okay?”  
  
He heard Starscream seconds before the arms embraced him from behind, and Blurr sank into them gladly, soaking up the warmth and familiar scent of his lover.  
  
“I don’t know,” Blurr murmured, and he folded his arms over Starscream’s, holding as much as he was being held. “But I think I’m going to be. It’s a big change, but…”  
  
Not an unwelcome one.  
  
True, he’d never actually thought about becoming a harpy because it was an impossibility as far as he was concerned. Also, he would have preferred to be asked. It was kind of violent? He didn’t appreciate that either.  
  
But he’d get used to his body soon, and then he could fly, and wouldn’t that be worth it? He could be with Starscream without worry of complications, and wasn’t that better?  
  
“I think I can handle it,” Blurr finished.  
  
Starscream nuzzled him, and a tension he’d felt in Starscream’s body, eased away. “I’ll help you. Every step of the way.”  
  
“There’s a lot to take care of,” Blurr said with a sigh. The enormity of how much his life had changed hung heavy on his shoulders, like a mantle he never expected to bear.  
  
“You have time. We can tackle it little by little. You should rest first.”  
  
Resting actually sounded like a wonderful idea. Exhaustion tugged at every limb, and the longer he stood there, soaking in Starscream’s warmth and scent, the more comfortable and tired he felt. All he wanted to do was curl in their nest and sleep.  
  
“I won’t argue with that.”  
  
Starscream gently pulled one of Blurr’s hands up, to his lips, and brushed a kiss across his knuckles. “There might be a bit of gawking. Everyone’s heard about what happened. And it doesn’t hurt that the magic made you deliciously gorgeous.”  
  
“Deliciously?” Blurr laughed, while his insides tickled at the caress of Starscream’s lips. “All I can think about is what Rodimus is going to say.”  
  
Starscream chuckled and nuzzled behind Blurr’s ear, exhaling warm and soft. “He’s jealous. You’re taller than him and have a more impressive tail.”  
  
Blurr snorted. And twitched his tail, which indeed seemed to have some weight to it. He’d need a full-length mirror, however, to truly see what he looked like.  
  
“Are tails like boobs?” Blurr asked.  
  
Starscream outright laughed and buried his face against Blurr’s shoulder. “I suppose that depends on your point of view.” He laughed again, shaking with humor. “But if they were, you’d have all the harpies in your, um, yard.”  
  
Oh, Primus.  
  
Blurr would have facepalmed if he weren’t so thoroughly tangled with Starscream, who’d listened to far too much of Blurr’s music selection. It had made him giddy with excitement, to find the weirdest, raunchiest, and most obscene songs. His look of sheer delight had been too charming for Blurr to end his fun.  
  
“Well, at least I have that going for me.” Blurr turned in Starscream’s arms and nuzzled him back, enjoying the brush of soft feather over soft feather.  
  
Every sensation felt magnified, every sense tripled. He could smell more, taste more, and when Starscream kissed him, their tongues touching, he certainly felt more. He felt the thump-thump of Starscream’s core, and it matched his own. He tasted the sweetness of fruit on Starscream’s tongue, and smelled the sweet-tart of Starscream’s developing arousal.  
  
It was a relief that left him giddy.  
  
“Come. Let’s go back to our nest. I’m afraid of Ratchet bursting in on us any moment in here,” Starscream murmured against his lips, pressing their foreheads together. “I want to hold you, but not with a potential audience.”  
  
Blurr chuckled. “I agree.”  
  
They gathered up the basket of fruit, and slipped out of the room, with not a feather of Ratchet’s in sight. He’d escorted Rathi and TJ to Perceptor and Drift apparently. Which meant they had a short window of opportunity.  
  
“He’d probably try to make you stay here for observation,” Starscream explained.  
  
“No, thanks.” Blurr absolutely didn’t want to feel like an experiment.  
  
They passed few harpies in the corridors. They gave Blurr curious looks, but no one was bold enough to stop and ask questions. Whether because they were afraid or because Liege Megatron had told everyone to leave Blurr alone, he didn’t know. He suspected the latter.  
  
They made it back to the nest without incident, and Blurr all but tumbled into the cocoon of pillows and blankets, rolling around in the softness that smelled wonderfully like Starscream and a teensy bit like his human self. Interesting that he could distinguish that now.  
  
“Your belongings are here,” Starscream explained as he closed the curtain before joining Blurr in the bed. “Your clothes, shoes, phone. Though we had to cut off your clothes. They’re not wearable.”  
  
“Don’t need them now,” Blurr said. He snuggled into Starscream’s embrace, winding himself around his lover as much as he possibly could. “Harpies don’t wear clothes.”  
  
“Mmm. No, we don’t.” Starscream hummed in his throat, and the vibrations of it soothed Blurr all the way to his core. “Sleep, Blurr. I’ve got you.”  
  
“I know you do,” Blurr murmured and closed his eyes, exhaling quietly.  
  
His life had changed rather abruptly. It had turned completely upside down. It was by no means any easier than before, if anything, it was more complicated. There were a lot responsibilities, arguments, explanations, all waiting in the wings.  
  
But for right now, right here, he was safe and comfortable in Starscream’s arms. It was refuge. It was home.  
  
It was the only place Blurr wanted to be.  
  


***

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> a/n: Is this the end?? Of part one, yes. There are actually three arcs to Blurr and Starscream's story, and this is only the end of part one. I have two more arcs to go, I just need to sit and write them. :)
> 
> Thank you everyone for reading and commenting and joining me on this journey. I do hope you enjoyed yourselves and I'll see you back when I start posting part two. <3

**Author's Note:**

> Feedback, as always, is greatly welcome and appreciated. I'm excited to know what you think!


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